Heading into the 2025 NFL free agency period, the Carolina Panthers had a bunch of boxes to check on the defensive side of the ball. They needed depth beneath Derrick Brown inside, more firepower on the edge, security at cornerback, two big upgrades at safety and at least one more reliable inside linebacker.
It's no secret that the Carolina Panthers had a terrible defense in 2024. The unit finished dead-last in total yards and rushing yards allowed, and 23rd in passing yards given up per game.
The Carolina Panthers need a linebacker. The middle of their defense was pretty porous last year, and they're letting Shaq Thompson walk. There aren't a ton of high-level interior linebackers in the draft, and the Panthers are likely to target other needs in the draft.
How many of the first running backs selected in the NFL Draft since the year 2000 can you name in five minutes?
Following news that the Panthers wouldn’t be re-signing Shaq Thompson, there was some natural speculation surrounding the veteran’s NFL future.
With an established top tier and some young options revealing themselves last season, here is a look at where clubs' QB depth charts stand. Contracts and long-term outlooks do not factor in here; these rankings apply only to 2025 on-field capabilities.
The Carolina Panthers made the difficult decision to part ways with veteran linebacker Shaq Thompson after a decade together. Thompson suffered back-to-back season-ending injuries, limiting him to just six games over the past two seasons.
For the first time in a decade, the Carolina Panthers will enter a season without Shaq Thompson anchoring their defense. The team announced Monday that the veteran linebacker, a cornerstone of the franchise since 2015, will be released and allowed to explore free agency.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers need to fill some holes across their roster this offseason after reaching the Wild Card round of the playoffs in 2024. While the season was promising from an offensive standpoint, the Bucs' defense wasn't, and hasn't, been what the Krewe has become accustomed to under Todd Bowles' leadership.
The Carolina Panthers will not re-sign veteran outside linebacker Shaq Thompson, allowing the former first-round draft pick to enter free agency. "We appreciate Shaq's leadership and dedication over the past 10 seasons, general manager Dan Morgan said in a statement Monday.
The Carolina Panthers are moving on from one of their longest-tenured players and a leader of their defense. On Monday, the Panthers revealed that they have informed veteran linebacker Shaq Thompson that they do not plan to bring him back in 2025.
The Arizona Cardinals might just be in the market for a new inside linebacker this offseason, and a fresh face is set to hit free agency. With Kyzir White's contract expiring and Arizona opting not to extend him, the Cardinals are losing one of their two starting linebackers.
Shaq Thompson is one of the best linebackers in the history of the Carolina Panthers, but the former first-round pick will not return to the team in 2025.
The Carolina Panthers are beginning to take shape under head coach Dave Canales. Carolina finished the 2024 season with a 5-12 record, three games better than the 2023 season.
Clarity has emerged regarding Shaq Thompson‘s immediate future. The veteran linebacker will not be back with the Panthers, the team announced on Monday.
The Carolina Panthers announced they have informed LB Shaq Thompson he can enter free agency as they are moving in a different direction. Thompson has played just six games over the last two years due to injuries but he expressed his desire to retire in Carolina earlier this offseason.
Once the league year ends in March, Carolina Panthers linebacker Shaq Thompson will be a free agent. He's expressed a desire to stay with the team that selected him in the first round in 2015, but they may have other paths they'd like to go down, especially after drafting linebacker Tevin Wallace in 2024.
Panthers LB Shaq Thompson has spent 10 seasons with the team after being selected 25th overall out of Washington in the 2015 draft. Due to injuries, Thompson has played just six games over the last two seasons including four in 2024.
Veteran Carolina Panthers linebacker Shaq Thompson will become an unrestricted free agent this offseason and after two consecutive years of suffering season-ending injuries, there's no guarantee the organization will bring him back.
The Carolina Panthers announced they have placed LB Shaq Thompson on injured reserve. Thompson suffered a torn Achilles and will miss the rest of the season.
Carolina Panthers star linebacker Shaq Thompson sustained what is believed to be a torn Achilles and will miss the remainder of the season, NFL Network reported Monday.
Tom Pelissero reports that Panthers LB Shaq Thompson suffered a torn Achilles on Sunday and will likely miss the rest of the season. You can expect the Panthers will place him on injured reserve but in the meantime, they have signed TE Stephen Sullivan and WR Deven Thompkins to their practice squad and released WR Sam Pinckney.
The Bryce Young era is off to a rough start; chances are it won’t get smoother in Week 4.
Bryce Young is out of this Week 3 matchup, making a rough start even rougher for the Panthers. Seattle is likely playing with a bit more confidence after its big win in Detroit. YB's Griffin Carroll asks: Is it best we just follow momentum?
At 1-5 with an interim head coach in charge, many expect the Panthers to sell off some of their more valuable assets ahead of the November 1 NFL trade deadline.
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