Panthers To Sign DT A’Shawn Robinson

The Panthers made a pair of major investments on the offensive line yesterday, and the team is now committing a long-term deal to the other side of the ball. Veteran defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson has agreed to a three-year, $22.5MM contract with Carolina, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.

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Garafolo notes Robinson received an endorsement from Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero. The pair were together when Robinson played with the Rams. That three-year stint saw him start 24 of 35 games between 2020 and ’22, although it was not sufficient to land him a multi-year deal in free agency last offseason.

Robinson joined the Giants on a one-year deal in 2023. That pact was worth up to $8MM in incentives, although the 28-year-old ultimately wound up earning its base value ($5MM). He has secured a much more lucrative investment this time around, and he will likely have a significant role to play in Carolina moving forward.

The Panthers have Derrick Brown in place as a foundational member of their D-line. The former top-1o pick enjoyed a career year in 2023, earning his first Pro Bowl nod. Brown is eligible for an extension, and talks on that front have begun. A new deal for the 25-year-old will be costly, and the overlap (starting in 2025) with Robinson’s accord will make the DT position one using up considerable cap resources.

Robinson started 13 of 17 games in New York last year, racking up 62 tackles (the second-highest mark of his career). The Alabama product was a non-factor in the passing game with no sacks and only one QB pressure, but his ability on early downs will be welcomed by Evero and Co. Carolina struggled in a number of capacities last season, including against the run. Improvement in that regard will be a key offseason goal, and the Robinson accord is one aimed at achieving it.