TheSpecialJuan

Bill Barnwell article this morning: https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/48185973/2026-nfl-free-agency-best-team-fits-top-players-available-barnwell

Rasheed Walker, OT Editor's note: Walker signed with the Panthers on Friday afternoon. Why is he still available? Likely the contract size. Young left tackles earned massive deals in free agency last season. Jaylon Moore, the backup to Trent Williams in San Francisco, signed a two-year, $30 million contract to join the Chiefs. Dan Moore Jr., a below-average starter in Pittsburgh, inked a four-year, $82 million pact with the Titans. The latter Moore allowed the most sacks in the league in 2024 (16.5), per NFL Next Gen Stats, then finished second behind Stone Forsythe in 2025 (13.5 sacks). Walker, a three-year starter in Green Bay, was the latest young left tackle to hit the market. He is coming from a better offense and hasn't missed a game since taking over as the starter on Jordan Love's blind side in 2023. At 26, Walker had every right to expect that he would earn one of the largest deals in free agency. My expectation was that his deal could come in as high as $25 million per season, and ESPN's Seth Walder projected Walker's new contract to average $21.8 million per year. Talking to people in and around the league about Walker before free agency, though, there wasn't a real excitement about an opportunity that should have been very appealing on paper. Was it a red flag that the Packers were letting a young player at a critical position walk out the door without really pushing too hard to re-sign him? Were the two Moore contracts from 2024 more of an outlier than a true indicator of what teams were willing to pay for young tackles? Some teams with left tackle openings elected to head in a different direction. The Bears and Panthers will need left tackles to open 2026 after their incumbents (Ozzy Trapilo and Ikem Ekwonu, respectively) tore their patellar tendons in January. They both opted for short-term solutions, as the Bears re-signed Braxton Jones and the Panthers added Forsythe. Teams that might have signed a left tackle and moved their incumbents to the right side, such as the Browns and Texans, instead chose to acquire right tackles. Walker might also be heading for a short-term deal. ESPN's Adam Schefter spoke with ESPN Milwaukee earlier this week and suggested that Walker might need to settle for a one-year deal before hitting free agency again in 2027. It looks like the significant market that many anticipated for Walker -- myself included -- never really materialized.

The Panthers front office has done a magnificent job with both the process and execution of their free agency plan. Every move has felt intentional, disciplined, and focused on building a stronger roster without sacrificing the future

Rasheed Walker CARTackle#63 Panthers signed LT Rasheed Walker, formerly of the Packers, to a one-year, $10 million contract. This is a great deal for the Panthers. Walker, a former seventh-round pick with the Packers, made just over $6 million on his rookie contract. This is a decent pay bump for him. Among NFL tackles with at least 490 left tackle snaps, Walker’s 69.3 PFF pass-blocking grade ranks 21st. The Panthers lost starter LT Ikem Ekwonu to a patellar tendon rupture during their Wild Card Round loss to the Rams last year. While he is undoubtedly rehabbing the injury rigorously, signing Walker gives them a reliable, if non-elite, starter for as long as they need one in 2026

Okay, that’s your odds on favorite for Week 1 starting LT And opens the door for almost any position at 19 overall https://x.com/joshnorris/status/2032552251680551170?s=46&t=xeIgh_-Vr2aKxBkBJdfnKA

WOW probably the most shocking price of free agency thus far https://x.com/sethwalder/status/2032556339210178993?s=46&t=xeIgh_-Vr2aKxBkBJdfnKA

This was one of the more interesting markets for a player. He was clearly the best free agent option at a premium position. But a few teams wondered whether Dan Moore's deal last year ($82M over four) spooked teams, hurting the market more than it helped https://x.com/jfowlerespn/status/2032552535710376041?s=46&t=xeIgh_-Vr2aKxBkBJdfnKA

Also considering the value the Panthers got with a salary about half of what many were expecting for Walker, a solid move by Dan Morgan https://x.com/jamespalmertv/status/2032554553238036568?s=46&t=xeIgh_-Vr2aKxBkBJdfnKA

Sources: The #Panthers are signing former #Packers LT Rasheed Walker to a 1-year deal worth about $10M. https://x.com/schultz_report/status/2032553862859477141?s=46&t=xeIgh_-Vr2aKxBkBJdfnKA

Carolina had spent big on defense in the first wave of free agency. But when Yosh Nijman, their original target for stopgap LT, retired midweek, that left a hole. And Walker was still available https://x.com/jfowlerespn/status/2032553158979797442?s=46&t=xeIgh_-Vr2aKxBkBJdfnKA

https://x.com/tharbw/status/2032552183128789192?s=46&t=xeIgh_-Vr2aKxBkBJdfnKA

LT, EDGE, and LB were major needs for the Panthers heading into the offseason. The additions of Walker, Jaelan Phillips, and Devin Lloyd has created a lot of flexibility for Carolina at No. 19 overall. https://x.com/jordan_reid/status/2032551771470532870?s=46&t=xeIgh_-Vr2aKxBkBJdfnKA

https://x.com/1pantherplace/status/2032550786958266566?s=46&t=xeIgh_-Vr2aKxBkBJdfnKA

One of the best remaining free agents finds a home. The Panthers’ starting LT Ickey Ekwonu suffered a ruptured patellar tendon in the team’s playoff game. Walker slides in as the starting LT for now https://x.com/fieldyates/status/2032550710076662255?s=46&t=xeIgh_-Vr2aKxBkBJdfnKA

BREAKING: Former #Packers LT Rasheed Walker is signing with the #Panthers, per source. Walker, just 26 years old, started 48 games over the last 3 years and now gets a new deal. https://x.com/schultz_report/status/2032550037717147805?s=46&t=xeIgh_-Vr2aKxBkBJdfnKA

https://x.com/tompelissero/status/2032549704450585056?s=46&t=xeIgh_-Vr2aKxBkBJdfnKA

PER ME

Claudin Cherelus CARLinebacker#53 Panthers re-signed LB Claudin Cherelus The Panthers declined to tender the 27-year-old rotational pass rusher earlier this week. He returns a few days later. The contract’s details have not yet been disclosed. Cherelus totaled two quarterback pressures and 20 solo tackles last season. He missed multiple games after suffering a concussion in November and missed Week 18 with foot and ankle injuries.

"They think this is just the beginning of their run. They think that those couple of pieces, and they are also still looking for a slot corner, will help this defense in some of those key late-game situations against elite quarterbacks that they've struggled with previously. They think they are ready to compete now. Not only for this NFC South title, but potentially for more in the NFC." - Cameron Wolfe NFL Newtwork

According to my source there is mutual interest on both sides.

My understanding is that the hope with free agent Brady Christensen’s Achilles recovery is that he will be cleared to participate in training camp in July (around the 9 month mark). He sustained the injury in late October during the #Panthers’ Week 8 loss to Buffalo. He has played all five OL positions in Carolina. And had maybe the best stretch of his career at RG last season, particularly during the back-to-back big Rico Dowdle games against Miami and Dallas. https://x.com/mike_e_kaye/status/2032502369586446696?s=46&t=xeIgh_-Vr2aKxBkBJdfnKA

https://x.com/mike_e_kaye/status/2032528924878455010?s=46&t=xeIgh_-Vr2aKxBkBJdfnKA I’m told the deal includes $450,000 in guaranteed money.

apparently he had other teams interested in him.

per Mike Kaye, LB Claudin Cherelus

The three teams are Panthers, Broncos, Eagles. Source is telling me it's likely Panthers & Broncos, since Eagles is likely a pivot move if they can't re-sign Goedert. https://x.com/dixonsydernfl/status/2032442043595690437?s=46&t=xeIgh_-Vr2aKxBkBJdfnKA