PFF's Free Agency Grade Thus Far...

[blueandblackattack]

CAROLINA PANTHERS

• Released: C Bradley Bozeman
• Franchise-tagged: EDGE Brian Burns
• Released: TE Hayden Hurst
• Re-signed: LS J.J. Jansen (one year, TBD)
• Signed: G Robert Hunt (five years, $100M)
• Signed: G Damien Lewis (four years, $53M)
• Released: S Vonn Bell
• Signed: DI A'Shawn Robinson (three years, $22.5M)
• Signed: LB Josey Jewell (three years, $22.75M)
• Acquired via trade: WR Diontae Johnson
• Re-signed: WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette (one year, TBD)
• Signed: CB Dane Jackson (two years, $8.5M)
• Signed: EDGE D.J. Wonnum (two years, $12.5M)
• Signed: EDGE K'Lavon Chaisson (one year, TBD)
• Signed: S Jordan Fuller (one year, TBD)

Hunt becomes the fourth guard in the NFL to reach the $20 million per year mark, with the position market exploding this offseason as a response to the interior defender market doing the same for the second year running. Carolina needs to protect quarterback Bryce Young at all costs, and this is a good first step.

With the information we learned about the guard market throughout the first day of free agency, with players like Jonah Jackson signing for $51 million over three years, we really like the value and fit for Lewis in Carolina, even though he exceeded our projection like every guard has thus far. This is now basically a third-tier guard deal, and Lewis had some encouraging play in his 2023 tape with reason to believe he could continue to improve.

Jewell is a good all-around player who will love working behind the duo of Derrick Brown and A’Shawn Robinson on early downs. He can also cover tight ends and backs over the middle in coverage fairly well, even entering his age-30 season.

Good luck running the ball against the interior defensive line duo of Robinson and rising star Derrick Brown. Robinson is a monster up the middle on early downs and reunites with Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, who coached him with the Los Angeles Rams.

PFF FREE AGENCY GRADE: C+

 

https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-2024-nfl-free-agency-grades-for-all-16-nfc-teams

[Aussie Tank]

A+ if it turns Bryce around 

[Mr Mojo Risin]

A++ Brian Burns is no longer on the roster

[BIGH2001]

2 hours ago, Mr Mojo Risin said:

A++ Brian Burns is no longer on the roster

F- for declining rams trade last year. Average is a C.

[mickeye76]

Trimmed the fat and added some beef. Strengthened the interior line and also gave Brown a partner in crime.  Could we see a Center and NT with our first two picks?  An advocate of building a team from the inside out can dream.  Barton and Sweat would be the most unsexy top picks ever but... for me, be still my heart. I give us a B-

[JawnyBlaze]

Not much more we could have done to be honest. The only thing I dislike is losing Luvu but it sounds like he just wanted to go somewhere that he feels can maximize his talents better and the low compensation for Burns but I don’t think we were going to do better now. The mistake was on the previous regime, not this one and this FA period. A- for me. The guards and WR Johnson are huge. 

[mav1234]

1 hour ago, BIGH2001 said:

F- for declining rams trade last year. Average is a C.

What was the trade last year?

Or do you mean two years ago?

[Bear Hands]

We thought last year's was looking good so I'll just wait to judge in full at this point ha.  

What I liked:

-The Dionte trade. We were gonna release Donte so it really is a nice trade off.

-Robinson - Sets our front-3. Brown-Robinson-Tuttle is strong.

-Dane Jackson - I like the dude. He's a plus corner, fairly consistent, that can play outside.

Other comments:

The OGs were important, we needed to overpay to get them, so we'll see how they do.  One's been a solid B+/A- guy and the other stepped up last year on a depleted SEA team.  

I feel like Burns could have still got a 1st, but we had to do something and the Giants came in with enough for us to get something done.  They signed him as the 3rd highest DE in the league with the trade, that type of contract should warrant higher returns.  

[Tr3ach]

2 hours ago, BIGH2001 said:

F- for declining rams trade last year. Average is a C.

That wasn't this offseason though so shouldn't really factor in.  Unless you have a time machine there's not much you can do about that.  Especially since its a new regime.  They shouldnt be responsible for the last ones incompetence. 

[Tr3ach]

54 minutes ago, mav1234 said:

What was the trade last year?

Or do you mean two years ago?

It was 2 years ago when burns had multiple years left on his rookie contract so it was a different value at that time.  I remember teams inquired last year but I dont think we ever heard what any of the offers were, just that he wasnt available.   Fitterer really was the worst gm we've ever had by far.

[SOJA]

really don't think you can grade it yet because you have no idea how this is going to look as a finished product. But for Vision and sticking to a plan I give them a B+. It's very clear we went into this offseason needing to upgrade the offensive line and talent around Bryce. 

Thus far we have done both and I highly suspect another WR is on the way in the draft 

[jtm]

We won't rank high on any of these lists because we gave up Burns.  Everyone that actually follows the Panthers, knows that trading Burns was the right move.  

[jayboogieman]

[CanadianCat]

5 hours ago, SOJA said:

really don't think you can grade it yet because you have no idea how this is going to look as a finished product. But for Vision and sticking to a plan I give them a B+. It's very clear we went into this offseason needing to upgrade the offensive line and talent around Bryce. 

Thus far we have done both and I highly suspect another WR is on the way in the draft 

SUCH a boring answer lol