7 free-agent linebackers the Carolina Panthers could sign in 2024

Carolina Panthers could sign Patrick Queen

One of the best overall free agents is Patrick Queen, who had the best year of his career in 2023 with the Baltimore Ravens. Even though the inside linebacker spot is not quite as valuable as it once was, we're still in a period where the best defenses in the NFL have very good play at the second-level interior. And Queen was elite last season.

Still just 24 years old, Queen is someone the Carolina Panthers can sign for the long term. In all 17 games in 2023, the former LSU star had six passes defended, 3.5 sacks, 133 tackles, nine tackles for loss, and six quarterback hits. He also earned a Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro nod, capping off a stellar campaign.

If the Panthers want to find their enforcer in the middle of the defense for years to come, Queen should be the answer.

Carolina Panthers could sign Devin White

Newly 26 years old, Devin White was once the No. 5 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. The linebacker isn't quite as good as he was at the beginning of his career, but perhaps a new home could reignite how dominant he once was. Maybe the most notable part of his game is how frequently he gets into the backfield.

Through five seasons, White has racked up 23 sacks and a whopping 16 quarterback hits, which comes out to an average of 14 QB hits per 17-game season. Not only is he still young, but the Panthers could get a legitimate pass-rush threat with someone who probably wants to cash in this offseason.