Former Jaguars 1st-Round Bust Released By Panthers

Former Jacksonville Jaguars first-round pass-rusher K'Lavon Chaisson's next stint with the Carolina Panthers ended with his release.

Jul 30, 2024; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers linebacker K'Lavon Chaisson (45) works with a tennis ball at Carolina Panthers Practice Fields. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports / Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

It appears the Jacksonville Jaguars didn't miss on their evaluation of former pass-rusher K'Lavon Chaisson this spring.

The No. 20 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Chaisson didn't pan out with the Jaguars during his first four years. This resulted in the Jaguars not extending his contract after the 2023 season, which then led to the Carolina Panthers signing Chaisson.

And on Tuesday, the Panthers released Chaisson from their 53-man roster.

Chaisson's spot on the roster was in question entering the 2023 season and the former first-round bust didn't do anything to convince the Jaguars to want him to stay past his rookie deal.

Add in the shift in defensive scheme's from Mike Caldwell's 3-4 front to Ryan Nielsen's 4-3 front, and the Jaguars had all of the reasons to move on from Chaisson.

And with the Panthers coming to the same conclusion as the Jaguars on Monday, it appears the Jaguars were far from incorrect in their assessment.

In four years with the Jaguars, Chaisson started 11 games and appeared in 57. He recorded five sacks, which included a career-high two sacks in 2023. Across four seasons, he also recorded 73 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 23 quarterback hits, and two pass deflections.

Chaisson started three games as a rookie, playing 51% of the defensive snaps and recording one sack and nine quarterback hits. He saw his snaps decline in 2021, playing 39% of the snaps and recording one sack and four quarterback hits in 15 games. 

Chaisson only played nine games in 2022 as a result of injures, playing just 18% of the snaps and recording one sack and two quarterback hits as players like Dawuane Smoot and Arden Key took on a larger share of pass-rush snaps.

Chaisson saw his role increase in 2023 as Smoot recovered from an Achilles injury and Key moved on to the Tennessee Titans in free agency. This resulted in Chaission playing 25% of the snaps and recording two sacks and eight quarterback hits in 17 games. 

Of 12 players selected by the Jaguars in 2020, only DaVon Hamilton and Daniel Thomas remain in 2024.

Ensure you follow on X (Twitter) @JaguarsOnSI and @_John_Shipley and never miss another breaking news story again.

Please let us know your thoughts when you like our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.