NFL free agents who could help the Panthers with Derrick Brown out for the season

Searching for some help up front for the Carolina Panthers.

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Tuesday afternoon, the Carolina Panthers placed defensive tackle Derrick Brown on season-ending injured reserve. The Panthers' star defender suffered a torn meniscus in the team's season-opener in New Orleans this past Sunday.

"Definitely a huge loss, right? He's one of our best players," head coach Dave Canales said. "That's big shoes to fill. But at the same time, we've got players in there, I want them to know and be encouraged. If you go in, you play with great technique, and you just do your job, we don't need you to make the special plays that Derrick makes."

With Brown out, the Panthers are going to be at a major disadvantage up front, especially in an area that was already thin to begin with.

Panthers GM Dan Morgan will have no choice but to look for outside help via the waiver wire, practice squad, or perhaps free agency. With a small pool of free agents still available, two names come to mind that shouldn't cost the Panthers a fortune are Hassan Ridgeway and Shaq Lawson.

Ridgeway has been in the league since 2016, spending time with the Indianapolis Colts, Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers, and the Houston Texans. In 80 career games, he's totaled 114 tackles, 24 QB hits, 16 tackles for loss, and 10.5 sacks. He is coming off of a torn Achilles so that's worth considering and who knows? He may not even be in game shape to play right away or anytime in the near future for that matter. But he's someone Carolina should at least look into.

As for Lawson, he may be more interested in signing with a contender, but the Central, South Carolina native may find the appeal in returning to the area for one season. The former Clemson product has collected 207 tackles, 77 QB hits, 42 tackles for loss, and 26 sacks in his eight-year career.

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