Devin Lloyd is coming off a fantastic season with the Jacksonville Jaguars, and the Carolina Panthers believe the former first-round pick will continue his dominance in a new uniform. Selected with the 27th-overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Utah product quickly earned a starting job for Jacksonville and established himself as one of the league’s best linebackers last year. Starting and appearing in 15 games, Lloyd finished his fourth season with five interceptions, 81 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 10 quarterback hits, and an 87.9 PFF grade, the third-best mark in the league. This impressive performance earned him a spot on the Pro Bowl roster and a three-year, $45 million deal with the Panthers in the offseason.
While Devin Lloyd had a great season and earned a massive payday, Joseph Person of The Athletic believes he’s barely scratched the surface of his potential. In a recent article, the NFL analyst made his case for why Lloyd could be Carolina’s breakout star of the 2026 season.
“Getting Lloyd on a three-year, $45 million deal that may prove to be a steal if Lloyd repeats his Pro Bowl form from 2025,” Person writes. “Lloyd made plays at every level of Jacksonville’s defense, averaging 109 tackles while collecting nine interceptions, including a career-high five in ‘25. Lloyd also showed he could be disruptive as a blitzer, something the Panthers have lacked at the inside linebacker spot since Ejiro Evero took over as defensive coordinator.”
Devin Lloyd Named Panthers Top Breakout Candidate
It’s interesting to see Devin Lloyd on a list like this, as most people would say the former first-round pick already had his breakout season. While the Jacksonville Jaguars didn’t use the fifth-year option in his contract, he made the Pro Bowl last year and earned a $45 million deal on the open market. This shows the league respects his ability to play the position, and it’s fair to wonder just how much he can actually improve. PFF grades are far from perfect, but he was a top-three linebacker by their metric and finished in the top 15 in 2023 and 2024.
Ultimately, Devin Lloyd is a great player who should make an immediate contribution to the Carolina Panthers. Perhaps he’ll receive more national attention now that he’s playing on such a huge deal, but it will be hard for him to break out and improve, seeing as he’s already one of the league’s best linebackers.
Main Photo: Doug Engle – Florida Times-Union
