Jeremy Fowler: Don’t be surprised if Carolina makes some big moves on defense

[csx]

Sign Wagner and draft one in the second or third round.

[shaqattaq]

On 3/1/2026 at 10:54 AM, TheSpecialJuan said:

Jeremy Fowler: Don’t be surprised if Carolina makes some big moves on defense. 

Mentions Devin Lloyd as an ideal fit in the middle. 

https://x.com/panthersontap/status/2028101193394713026?s=46&t=xeIgh_-Vr2aKxBkBJdfnKA

Mentions slot CB as a high need, not sure I agree. I thought Smith Wade was decent and we have Thornton coming back from injury who was improving a bunch. I'm never above trying to improve...just wouldn't call it s high need.

[strato]

15 hours ago, flagfootballcoach28 said:

Plus, the fact that the Jags didn’t pick up his 5th year option begs the question why not? A little strange for the projected top FA ILB, former 1st rounder to not have his 5th year option picked up. Maybe they know something that we don’t? Also, he saved by far his best season for a contract year.. Maybe it’s all nothing and he turns out to be a great FA signing, but there’s a few things with Devin Lloyd that would make me hesitant to pay him 20 mill a year. 

That is discussed a little in this thread, it got pushed down off the first page:

 

[CanadianCat]

On 3/1/2026 at 11:41 AM, mrcompletely11 said:

we are going to fug ourselves with the cap for years arent we?  I feel it coming

I listened to the Tillis interview and he seems like a super smart guy. Said that him and his team are always looking 2-3 years in the future( as they should be). Honestly I think we have a really good FO. 

Also... it also seems like its hard to fug us the cap.. too many teams (Saints) were talked about going to cap hell and nothing happened. CAP just takes creative accounting.  

[Basbear]

Just now, CanadianCat said:

I listened to the Tillis interview and he seems like a super smart guy. Said that him and his team are always looking 2-3 years in the future( as they should be). Honestly I think we have a really good FO. 

Also... it also seems like its hard to fug us the cap.. too many teams (Saints) were talked about going to cap hell and nothing happened. CAP just takes creative accounting.  

Panthers have 85 million in cap space for 2027, they could use a portion of that for signing FAs now. Simple EX, longer years with high guarantee/signing bonus. 30 million SB over 5 years is 6 million + min sal(1.__) thus the cap number for year one is 7.2. Year two or 2027 when the 85 million is there, base jumps up 10 + 6 pro-rated SB= 16 million cap number. 

I believe they have many plans. If certain players agree to their numbers, you could see some contracts that use future tricks to borrow from 27+ to land 26 FAs. 

I think the main plan is one big fish either Lloyd or a edge or even a LT. then wait for 2nd wave when prices drop hard. Sign about 4-10 bargain bin players and head to the draft with around 27 spots open....

[frankw]

Guys the Saints did indeed go to cap hell they just managed it afterwards better than we did and that's after losing a hall of fame QB and coach.

Do not twist yourself into a pretzel thinking us kicking cans down the road is going to work out splendidly.

[TheSpecialJuan]

On 3/1/2026 at 7:54 AM, TheSpecialJuan said:

Jeremy Fowler: Don’t be surprised if Carolina makes some big moves on defense. 

Mentions Devin Lloyd as an ideal fit in the middle. 

https://x.com/panthersontap/status/2028101193394713026?s=46&t=xeIgh_-Vr2aKxBkBJdfnKA

Per Bill Barnwell: 

Lloyd will be a difficult evaluation for some teams. In 2024, Lloyd struggled so badly that the Jaguars really should have considered benching their 2022 first-round pick. There wasn't a great effort level from him on tape, and he looked like he wasn't up to the standards of being a starting-caliber linebacker. It was easy for the new Jags regime to decline his fifth-year option.

And then in 2025, Lloyd was a different player. He racked up five picks, including that pick-six of Patrick Mahomes that fueled a famous Jags victory. The effort concerns disappeared. Lloyd managed 1.5 sacks and 10 knockdowns as a blitzer. He wasn't a great run defender, as Lloyd took longer to make tackles on run plays (5.1 seconds) than any regular off-ball linebacker in the league and made both run tackles and stuffs at below-average rates. But Lloyd was impactful enough against the pass to earn a deserved trip to the Pro Bowl.

The real Lloyd is likely somewhere in between. It's tough to imagine him racking up five interceptions per year, although Lloyd managed three as a rookie. Most players didn't really put their best forward playing out the string for a hopeless 2024 Jags team. I'd want to make sure Lloyd was in the right spot on a competitive team, but he can be a valuable player on a defense

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/47994520/2026-nfl-free-agency-best-players-available-defense-contract-tiers-market-barnwell

[strato]

31 minutes ago, frankw said:

Guys the Saints did indeed go to cap hell they just managed it afterwards better than we did and that's after losing a hall of fame QB and coach.

Do not twist yourself into a pretzel thinking us kicking cans down the road is going to work out splendidly.

They strung that along for years though. And still, after Brees left, have gone 9-8 twice, 7-10, and they won 5 and whatever the did last year. 
They look to be straight at QB again, I think Moore is a good hire…. 
 

I could deal with that in a few years if we could win a few years. 

[Aussie Tank]

3 hours ago, shaqattaq said:

Mentions slot CB as a high need, not sure I agree. I thought Smith Wade was decent and we have Thornton coming back from injury who was improving a bunch. I'm never above trying to improve...just wouldn't call it s high need.

Any position that played a part in covering the centre of the field last year needs addressing 

[strato]

5 hours ago, TheSpecialJuan said:

Per Bill Barnwell: 

Lloyd will be a difficult evaluation for some teams. In 2024, Lloyd struggled so badly that the Jaguars really should have considered benching their 2022 first-round pick. There wasn't a great effort level from him on tape, and he looked like he wasn't up to the standards of being a starting-caliber linebacker. It was easy for the new Jags regime to decline his fifth-year option.

And then in 2025, Lloyd was a different player. He racked up five picks, including that pick-six of Patrick Mahomes that fueled a famous Jags victory. The effort concerns disappeared. Lloyd managed 1.5 sacks and 10 knockdowns as a blitzer. He wasn't a great run defender, as Lloyd took longer to make tackles on run plays (5.1 seconds) than any regular off-ball linebacker in the league and made both run tackles and stuffs at below-average rates. But Lloyd was impactful enough against the pass to earn a deserved trip to the Pro Bowl.

The real Lloyd is likely somewhere in between. It's tough to imagine him racking up five interceptions per year, although Lloyd managed three as a rookie. Most players didn't really put their best forward playing out the string for a hopeless 2024 Jags team. I'd want to make sure Lloyd was in the right spot on a competitive team, but he can be a valuable player on a defense

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/47994520/2026-nfl-free-agency-best-players-available-defense-contract-tiers-market-barnwell

There is the answer as to the 5th year. I knew there had to be something.  

[hepcat]

On 3/1/2026 at 11:35 AM, frankw said:

I would certainly love to add a talent like Lloyd. But there is a legitimate question of how sustainable this model of chasing and potentially overpaying high priced free agents to resolve our issues is. It doesn't take a guru GM to sign the best available FA. We have many needs. Here's to hoping Dan knocks this upcoming draft out of the park. In the end that's all that will ultimately matter.

They’ve been buying the defense and drafting the offense since 2022. Horn was the last major defensive addition through the draft. 

[CanadianCat]

16 hours ago, frankw said:

Guys the Saints did indeed go to cap hell they just managed it afterwards better than we did and that's after losing a hall of fame QB and coach.

Do not twist yourself into a pretzel thinking us kicking cans down the road is going to work out splendidly.

I dont know... CAP hell doesnt seem that bad if you already know going into the season that you will suck. 

Its like a legalized version of tanking. So why not spend till you break it?

[LinvilleGorge]

18 hours ago, shaqattaq said:

Mentions slot CB as a high need, not sure I agree. I thought Smith Wade was decent and we have Thornton coming back from injury who was improving a bunch. I'm never above trying to improve...just wouldn't call it s high need.

Yeah, it's a spot that could be upgraded and it wouldn't shock me to see us take a corner in the mid to late rounds but it's well behind LB, OT, FS, C, TE, and DL at minimum.

[LinvilleGorge]

15 hours ago, TheSpecialJuan said:

Per Bill Barnwell: 

Lloyd will be a difficult evaluation for some teams. In 2024, Lloyd struggled so badly that the Jaguars really should have considered benching their 2022 first-round pick. There wasn't a great effort level from him on tape, and he looked like he wasn't up to the standards of being a starting-caliber linebacker. It was easy for the new Jags regime to decline his fifth-year option.

And then in 2025, Lloyd was a different player. He racked up five picks, including that pick-six of Patrick Mahomes that fueled a famous Jags victory. The effort concerns disappeared. Lloyd managed 1.5 sacks and 10 knockdowns as a blitzer. He wasn't a great run defender, as Lloyd took longer to make tackles on run plays (5.1 seconds) than any regular off-ball linebacker in the league and made both run tackles and stuffs at below-average rates. But Lloyd was impactful enough against the pass to earn a deserved trip to the Pro Bowl.

The real Lloyd is likely somewhere in between. It's tough to imagine him racking up five interceptions per year, although Lloyd managed three as a rookie. Most players didn't really put their best forward playing out the string for a hopeless 2024 Jags team. I'd want to make sure Lloyd was in the right spot on a competitive team, but he can be a valuable player on a defense

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/47994520/2026-nfl-free-agency-best-players-available-defense-contract-tiers-market-barnwell

Beware the guy who has a career season in a contract year. A story as old as professional sports.