Panthers star Derrick Brown wants one free-agent defender to return

Derrick Brown wants Shaq Thompson back.

Jan 7, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Derrick Brown (95) during the second quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Derrick Brown couldn't be on the field except for part of the first game this year. If he was, the Carolina Panthers probably wouldn't have had the worst rushing defense in the NFL by a wide margin. They also probably wouldn't have given up the most points in NFL history.

The same can possibly be said of Shaq Thompson, who's now a free agent. He played more games than Brown, but he was still shut down with an injury in the final year of his contract. GM Dan Morgan has to figure out how to rebuild the defense. Getting Brown back on the field will help, but the defensive tackle believes having Thompson back in the middle will, too.

Derrick Brown advocates for re-signing of Shaq Thomspon

When he was asked about fixing his defense for next year, Derrick Brown said the Panthers have some of the pieces they need already. "We've got a lot of pieces now, but obviously bringing in guys that can help and getting guys healthy will help,'' Brown said per David Newton of ESPN.

That's a clear reference to Thompson. He's the only other defender than Brown to miss substantial time last year. Trevin Wallace did, too, but he was a rookie. The other injured linebackers went down at the very end of the year and weren't impactful. Brown wants a healthy Thompson back on the field behind him.

Dec 15, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers linebacker Shaq Thompson (54) on the sideline during the second half against the Dallas Cowboys at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Thompson doesn't know what the future holds for him. "I really don't know the answer,'' Thompson said. "My biggest thing right now is to focus on getting healthy. The chips will fall where they fall.'' It's all up to Dan Morgan, though, because Thompson has expressed a desire to return and the star of the defense has now backed him up.

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