Carolina Panthers Free Agency Targets: Linebackers
The Panthers defense took a major step forward in 2021, but the depth at linebacker hurt this team on occasion. Shaq Thompson was on pace for the best season of his career statistically before missing a few games due to injury. Jermaine Carter played well in spurts, but for the Panthers to become a complete defense, they need to find another backer to pair with Shaq Thompson, especially if they lose elite pass rusher Haason Reddick in free agency.
Below are a few linebackers that are set to become free agents next week that could make sense for the Panthers.
Kyzir White
White would be my No. 1 target if Haason Reddick leaves. Yes, I know Reddick is more of a pass rusher but the money can be used on someone like White who can help bolster the second level of the defense. The thing I like most about White is his versatility. He played safety at a very high level during his college days at West Virginia, but has mainly played linebacker in the NFL. Honestly, he's got a similar build/playing style to that of Jeremy Chinn. Adding White would allow the Panthers to keep Chinn in the back end of the defense while still having a versatile playmaker in the middle of the field. This past season, White led the Chargers with 144 tackles.
Jayon Brown & Rashaan Evans
With the Titans dishing out $87.5 million to Harold Landry, the Titans are going to lose one or two linebackers this offseason, so we'll look at both of the options. First up, Jayon Brown. Brown is one of the better coverage linebackers in the league when healthy. Unfortunately, he's dealt with some injuries over the past couple of years and has played just 10 games in each of the past two seasons. Due to the injuries, he should come in a little cheaper than Kyzir White.
As for Rashaan Evans, he's a sure tackler that can be a major help in run support. His length, speed, and versatility will allow Phil Snow to do a myriad of things in terms of the different packages he can throw out there. Evans only has three career sacks, but does have the ability to effect throws and get to the quarterback. If the Panthers target Evans, it will solely be to help limit the rushing attack.
Robert Spillane
If the Panthers are looking to address the linebacker position without spending a lot of dough, Spillane could be an option. He was buried on the depth chart during his first two years in the league with Tennessee and Pittsburgh but really started to contribute in 2020 with the Steelers and that carried over to 2021. In the last two seasons, Spillane has combined for 101 tackles, six tackles for loss, three QB hits, and two sacks.
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