The Carolina Panthers spent most of their offseason money on defense, and the biggest headline came with Jaelan Phillips. But the move that may age best is the one that brought Devin Lloyd to Charlotte.
Carolina landed the former Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker after a breakout season that put him among the league’s most productive defenders. Lloyd tied for second in the NFL with five interceptions, then added Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors to the resume.
Even with that kind of year in the books, the Panthers got him on what looks like a bargain: a three-year deal worth up to $45 million, including $14 million this season. Before free agency, he had been projected to command as much as $20 million per year.
That kind of price makes the signing look even sharper, especially for a player some might still wonder about as a one-year surge. The numbers say otherwise.
Pro Football Focus recently released its rankings of the top 32 linebackers in the NFL, and Lloyd checked in at No. 3, behind only the 49ers’ Fred Warner and the Lions’ Jack Campbell. That placement was stronger than ESPN’s most recent ranking, which came from coaches, scouts, and executives and slotted Lloyd 10th.
The case for Lloyd goes beyond his 2025 production, too. PFF noted that his 87.9 grade last season was a career best, but his overall body of work over the last three years has been right there with the best at the position. Among linebackers with at least 1,500 snaps over that span, Lloyd ranks fifth in overall grade at 87.7.
That matters because it shows a player who has done more than flash for one season. Lloyd has been steady, productive, and versatile, and his biggest leap came in pass coverage last year. That should be an uncomfortable thought for the rest of the league.
It also leaves Carolina in a much better spot than it was before. Christian Rozebloom, Krys Barnes, and Trevin Wallace all finished the 2025 season with PFF grades no higher than 54.2, and Rozebloom and Barnes were both among the bottom five defenders on the team overall.
So while the Panthers made plenty of noise on defense this offseason, Lloyd may be the addition that changes the shape of the unit. He can plug run lanes, patrol the middle of the field, and cover receivers and tight ends. More than that, he gives Carolina a linebacker who looks built to lead the group.
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