The NFL free agency period started March 11, 2024, and many teams, including the Carolina Panthers, began to make their moves to upgrade their teams in hopes of a winning season.
The Carolina Panthers had to make big moves this year due to their terrible season, ending with a record of just 2-15.
One of the biggest signings of the free agency period came when the Panthers signed their edge rusher to replace Pro Bowler Brian Burns, Jadeveon Clowney. Clowney was signed to a two year contract, worth between $20-24 million. An edge rusher was one of the biggest needs for the Panthers, and they were finally able to get their guy late into the off-season. Clowney was a former number one overall pick back in 2014 and has since made 2nd team all-pro as well as 3 Pro Bowl appearances.
Being from South Carolina, Clowney was ecstatic to come home and play for the team he once cheered on when he was young.
“It’s going crazy right now back in Rock Hill. All these Carolina fans down the road, and I grew up like 30 minutes from here, so it’s going to be crazy,” says Clowney.
The biggest move the Carolina Panthers made this off-season came from a trade rather than a signing. The Panthers sent CB Donte Jackson to the Pittsburgh Steelers for WR Diontae Johnson as well as a pick swap. An offensive weapon was the most talked about off-season move by many Panthers fans in order to help out the rookie QB Bryce Young. Johnson was a 2nd team all-pro member in 2019 as well as making a Pro Bowl in 2021. Being one of the best route runners in the league, Johnson should match up with his young QB very well.
Johnson had to respond to hate from many of his former fans in Pittsburgh after the trade went through.
“I love Pittsburgh regardless of what happened [but] yaw fans are delusional and swear everything I tweet be about them yaw need to get a life,” says Johnson.
As mentioned before, Panthers fans were begging the front office to make moves for offensive players to help out the number 1 overall pick. The Panthers did just that by also signing offensive guard Robert Hunt. Bryce Young was sacked a total of 62 times which was 2nd in the league only behind Sam Howell. Hunt should bring these numbers down significantly as the veteran has only allowed 12 sacks throughout 3,316 career snaps and has won 90.9% of his pass block attempts.
Offensive line coach Rob Sale had to teach Hunt the entirely new system of pass blocking the Panthers used and Hunt had to adjust.
“He responded, he looked at me and he said ‘Yes sir,’ and he kind of got it, and knew that he was wrong in his body language. And that was the only blip on the radar I ever had,” says Sale.
