The Carolina Panthers entered Week 6 at 2-2, with a chance to keep building their edge in the NFC South, especially against the Saints and Buccaneers. A lot of the early progress has shown up on offense, where Bryce Young and the unit around him have taken a clear step since Brad Idzik took over play-calling duties.
But the Panthers’ offseason was really about defense. The offensive line got its overhaul, sure, but the biggest moves Carolina made were on that side of the ball.
And one of those additions has already become one of the league’s best bargains.
CBS Sports’ Garrett Podell ranked his top 10 free-agent acquisitions through Week 5, and Panthers inside linebacker Devin Lloyd came in at No. 10. That’s a strong nod, but it also feels too low for what Carolina got.
Lloyd signed with the Panthers on March 9 to a three-year deal worth up to $45 million, with $25 million guaranteed. For a player who was already a second-team All-Pro in 2025 and made his first Pro Bowl, that price tag looks like a steal. Carolina landed him for less than $15 million per year, even though his projected value before free agency was around $60 million over three years.
Since arriving, Lloyd has kept producing at an elite level. He’s been forcing turnovers, shutting down the run, and making the kind of impact that usually pushes a player much higher than 10th on this kind of list.
A few names on Podell’s list are worthy of praise, but Lloyd should at least be ahead of No. 9 Nakobe Dean, who has played well without matching Lloyd’s takeaway production.
The only real blemish so far came in Week 1, when nobody on the Panthers defense was ready for the Bears offense led by Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson. Outside of that, Lloyd has been outstanding.
In the other two games, he was either the best player on the field or one of the top three. His Week 2 outing in Atlanta was the loudest example yet: 9 tackles, 2 TFLs, 2 interceptions, 1 sack, and 1 touchdown. It was an all-time performance on the road against the Falcons.
No one else on Podell’s list has matched that kind of game this season, and for some of them, not in their careers.
In Other News...
Panthers Suddenly Catch A Huge Break Before Eagles Showdown
The Panthers were already facing a difficult trip to Philadelphia, but Sundays matchup now comes with a major twist. Jalen Hurts, the Eagles starting quarterback, will miss the game after a superficial blood clot was found in his calf during an ultrasound, and the teams medical staff is keeping him out while they decide on the right treatment plan.
For Carolina, the change reshapes the challenge in a hurry. Philadelphia will have to turn to one of its backup options, Tanner McKee or Cole Payton, and that creates a very different look for a game the Panthers needed every break they could get. Even with Hurts unavailable, the task in front of Carolina does not get easy, but the path to an upset just became a little less steep. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Just Got Pulled Into A Dangerous Justin Herbert Debate
The idea of Justin Herbert becoming available is the kind of quarterback talk that can instantly pull another team into the conversation, and the Panthers have not been spared. With Bryce Young still trying to establish himself as Carolinas long-term answer, any rumor tying the Chargers star to the market naturally sends attention toward Charlotte, where quarterback stability has been a central issue and every big-name possibility gets measured against the current plan.
Herberts performance, contract status and the Chargers needs all make this more than idle speculation, but the Panthers angle is what keeps the debate alive. If a trade ever moved past the hypothetical stage, Young would almost certainly become part of the discussion, turning a leaguewide rumor into a franchise-defining decision for Carolina. For now, though, it remains exactly that, a debate with plenty of intrigue and no confirmation behind it. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Face A Very Different Eagles Challenge After Jalen Hurts News
The Panthers were already preparing for one of the leagues toughest road tests, and now the matchup in Philadelphia has taken a sharp turn. Jalen Hurts has been ruled out for the Eagles because of a superficial blood clot, a development that changes the look of a game Carolina had been expecting to navigate against one of the NFLs most physical and balanced offenses.
Hurts was initially thought to be dealing with a calf injury, but further testing found the clot, and a follow-up ultrasound showed movement that led the team to hold him out for safety. Philadelphia is focusing on his health and figuring out the right treatment plan, which leaves Carolina facing a very different kind of challenge than the one it spent the week preparing for. [Read more 🡒]