The 2023 Carolina Panthers are not a good team, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have any good players. Pro Football Focus recently compiled their list of the top 100 impending free agents, and two separate Panthers earned a spot at the table.
Before we get into it, it’s worth mentioning that free agency itself does not begin until the middle of March. Between now and then, the Carolina Panthers could easily re-sign either one of these players to a long-term deal or use the franchise tag to prevent them from reaching the open market. With rumors that Scott Fitterer might be on the way out, Carolina probably won’t make any big moves in the immediate future, but there is a very real chance that the next general manager signs at least one of these players to a big-money contract. Without further ado, the following players made the list:
- Brian Burns (5)
- Frankie Luvu (34)
2 Panthers Make PFF’s Top 100 Free Agents
The Players
It’s no secret that Brian Burns is easily the best player on the Carolina Panthers, and is therefore one of the top impending free agents in the league. Several teams have tried to trade for the pass rusher over the past few seasons, but none have succeeded. While he hasn’t put up the same sack numbers in 2023, he’s still one of the better players in the league at a premium position.
Playing in 13 games so far, the former first-round pick has recorded six sacks, 37 tackles, 13 tackles-for-loss, 15 quarterback hits, and a 78.2 PFF grade. While the sacks are lower than usual, his quarterback hits are right on line with his typical numbers and his PFF grade is actually a career high.
Frankie Luvu, meanwhile, isn’t nearly as big of a name, but he’s still a valuable player in this defense. While he’s no Luke Keuchly, the linebacker has established himself as a strong all-around player, recording 4.5 sacks, 104 tackles, nine tackles-for-loss, and eight quarterback hits.
Can the Panthers Re-Sign Their Free Agents?
If the Panthers can’t re-sign Brian Burns as a free agent, it could go down as the organization’s biggest failure, and that’s saying something. In case you hadn’t noticed, Carolina hasn’t been a particularly competitive team over the past few seasons and they’ve had opportunities to trade Burns for premium draft picks.
The Los Angeles Rams were reportedly willing to give up two first-round picks for Burns at the 2022 trade deadline, but Carolina said no. Additionally, the Bears reportedly wanted Burns in the original trade for the first-overall pick, but the Panthers opted to send over D.J. Moore instead. The only reason a team would do something like that is if they believed Burns was a foundational building block for the organization. If he walks for nothing, heads should roll.
Frankie Luvu, however, might be on the way out. The Panthers currently have $38.4 million in 2024 cap space, so they could sign Luvu if that was their top priority. However, this roster has so many holes that they should invest in other positions instead of linebacker.
Bryce Young has not had a good rookie season, but he’s also had nothing to work with. If the Panthers truly want to see if he can become a franchise quarterback, they’ll need to invest in as many offensive free agents as possible. At least one of Tee Higgins, Mike Evans, and Michael Pittman should join the Panthers, and there is no such thing as too many good offensive linemen.
Once Burns is locked up long-term, Carolina should devote all their resources to the offensive side of the ball. Sadly, that probably means Luvu is on the way out.
Main Photo: Jim Dedmon – USA Today Sports
