The Carolina Panthers desperately need to beef up their pass rush this offseason, as they finished with just 32 sacks in 2024.
Considering that the Panthers lost Brian Burns last March and attempted to replace him with an aging Jadeveon Clowney, their lack of ability to get to opposing quarterbacks shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise.
However, Carolina has a chance to rectify the issue in the coming weeks, as a bunch of intriguing edge rushers are hitting the free-agent market.
The Panthers may want to seriously consider turning to Chase Young, who spent this past year with the New Orleans Saints and quietly had an impressive campaign with 31 tackles, 5.5 sacks and a career-high 21 quarterback hits.
Young was selected by the Washington Commanders with the No. 2 overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft and seemed primed for stardom early on, making the Pro Bowl during his rookie year.
However, injuries have largely derailed Young since then, and unless he re-signs with the Saints, he is preparing to join his fourth NFL team this offseason.
Carolina would make perfect sense as that ballclub, as Young matches the Panthers’ timeline and would instantly bolster their front seven for the next several years.
Young is still just 25 years old and has ample room for growth, and in the right system, he could develop into a dominant player.
The Ohio State product is yet to log double-digit sacks in any one individual campaign, but that could change with the right fit.
Carolina doesn’t have a ton of cap space, but it could definitely afford to offer Young a very multi-year deal. Not only would the Panthers be improving their own defense, but they would also be weakening an NFC South rival in the Saints.
