Here are today’s free agent tender decisions:
Tendered:
Non-tendered:
Tendered:
After moving on from Vonn Bell and watching Jeremy Chinn sign with the Commanders, Carolina will need to add to their safeties group in the offseason. Well, they won’t wait long to address that need, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, as former Rams safety Jordan Fuller is set to visit the Panthers this week. 
Fuller just finished his rookie contract in Los Angeles and joins an interesting free agent safety market that includes several veterans who fell victim to the salary cap purge last week. Many teams have already jumped on signing safeties as big names like Xavier McKinney, Kevin Byard, Rayshawn Jenkins, and Jonathan Owens have all recently found new teams. The safety shuffle is sure to continue in the coming days.
Fuller is coming off a strong rebound season in 2023. After starting 12 games and intercepting three passes as a sixth-round rookie in 2020, Fuller held on to the full-time starting job the following year and led the Super Bowl-winning Rams in tackles during the regular season with 113 total. Ankle surgery would keep Fuller from the glory of playing in a Super Bowl victory, though, and he would miss all but three games of the 2022 season, as well.
In his contract year this past season, though, Fuller started every game, finishing second on the team in total tackles with 94 and leading the team with three interceptions. If a deal is reached in Fuller’s visit this week, Carolina would likely hope that Fuller would be able to slot in immediately as a starter next to Xavier Woods. If not, both Fuller and the Panthers should have plenty of options in what is sure to be a busy offseason for safety transactions.
Dane Jackson will not stay in Buffalo on a second contract. The free agent corner has agreed to a deal with the Panthers, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. 
Carolina was prepared to move on from veteran corner Donte Jackson by releasing him. Instead, a trade with the Steelers was worked out which will see the team acquire Diontae Johnson in exchange for Jackson. In need of a starting-caliber replacement in the secondary, Dane Jackson will provide an intriguing option on that front.
The latter will receive up to $14.5MM on a two-year deal, Pelissero adds. Given those terms, Jackson will be counted on as a starter with Carolina. The former seventh-rounder started a total of 28 games across his four seasons in Buffalo. That figure includes 14 starts in 2020, a season in which he recorded two interceptions and 12 pass deflections.
The 27-year-old saw his defensive snap share drop to 50% last season, and his ball production suffered as a result. Jackson also endured the worst season of his career with respect to coverage performance in 2023. He allowed a 74.3% completion percentage and a passer rating of 109.6 as the nearest defender. While Jackson drew a career-high PFF grade in coverage, improvement in his overall play will no doubt be a goal for the Panthers.
Buffalo moved on from Tre’Davious White earlier this month, and the team also cut veteran safety Jordan Poyer in a cost-shedding move. Jackson’s departure will add further to the turnover seen in the Bills’ secondary. The Panthers, meanwhile, will seek to use Jackson as a first-teamer opposite Jaycee Horn moving forward as they look to replicate their strong play against the pass from last season.
The Diontae Johnson trade rumors will indeed produce a deal, and for the second straight day, the Panthers are involved in a big trade. The Steelers are sending the veteran wide receiver to Carolina, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports.
One season remains on Johnson’s contract, with Schefter adding the Panthers will now pay the sixth-year receiver’s $3MM roster bonus due later this week. After five Steelers seasons, the shifty route runner will settle in as a Bryce Young weapon.
The full trade will involve cornerback Donte Jackson coming back to the Steelers, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports. Carolina will send Jackson and a sixth-round pick for Johnson and a seventh. The picks will come in 2024. The Steelers are sending No. 240 in this swap, with the Panthers moving No. 178 to Pittsburgh, per veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer. The No. 178 choice is originally a Cardinals selection.
[RELATED: Steelers To Sign QB Russell Wilson]
A report earlier this month indicated the Panthers would move on from Jackson, via trade or release; Carolina has found a trade partner. After rumblings of a Johnson deal surfaced as well, the two will end up being exchanged.
For the Panthers, this provides Young with a proven wide receiver. The Panthers were light here last season, contributing to the steep freefall. Johnson will now join Adam Thielen atop the Carolina aerial pecking order. As Thielen is going into his age-34 season, this trade will provide a player in his prime for Young to target.
Heading into his age-28 season, Johnson has not been the most consistent receiver. Drops have plagued the elusive target, whose effort level has also come into question in Pittsburgh. But Johnson will be playing for a big contract in 2024. The Steelers gave the Toledo alum a two-year, $36.7MM extension just before the 2022 season. That deal fell short of the market set by fellow 2019 Day 2 picks A.J. Brown, Terry McLaurin, Deebo Samuel and D.K. Metcalf, but Johnson’s production has checked in south of those standouts’. He has still shown a consistent ability to create separation, doing so almost entirely with limited QB play. Johnson’s presence will help the Panthers determine Young’s value as a pro.
Johnson totaled 1,161 yards in 2021, Ben Roethlisberger‘s final season, and exceeded 850 yards in 2020 and ’22. Last season, the Steelers’ Kenny Pickett–Mitchell Trubisky–Mason Rudolph platter struggled for the most part. Johnson also missed four games due to a hamstring injury, coming in with 717 receiving yards and five touchdowns — after he memorably failed to score in 2022.
This will leave the Steelers with George Pickens leading the way at receiver, though it should be expected the AFC North club will target another starter-caliber wideout in a deep draft at the position. Johnson is one of many Day 2 wideouts the modern Steelers have turned into long-term starters. Pittsburgh broke with its usual tradition of these players leaving during or after their rookie contracts by extending Johnson, but after trading Chase Claypool and then executing this swap — and then cutting Allen Robinson — Pittsburgh will need to give Pickett (or, more likely, Russell Wilson) more help.
The Panthers also gave Jackson a second contract, re-signing the boundary corner in 2022. He is due a $4MM roster bonus March 16; these teams are trading picks, players and bonus obligations. One year remains on Jackson’s pact, a three-year, $35.18MM deal signed after the expiration of his rookie contract.
The former second-rounder has spent his entire six-year career in Carolina, but he was due to count $15.72MM against the cap in 2024. The Steelers will have Jackson on their 2024 cap sheet at $10.5MM, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac.
Coming back from a 2022 Achilles tear, the 28-year-old corner also had a down 2023 in coverage. Jackson allowed three touchdowns as the nearest defender and surrendering an opposing passer rating of 107.7. Pro Football Focus graded Jackson just outside the top 60 at corner, though he has shown better form in the past. The Steelers, who released Patrick Peterson last week, will see if Jackson can become a fit opposite Joey Porter Jr.
Today’s minor moves:
Carolina Panthers
Cleveland Browns
Dallas Cowboys
Denver Broncos
Detroit Lions
Green Bay Packers
Houston Texans
Kansas City Chiefs
Minnesota Vikings
New England Patriots
Philadelphia Eagles
Pittsburgh Steelers
Seattle Seahawks
Tennessee Titans
Washington Commanders
The Vikings appear poised to lose one starting edge rusher in Danielle Hunter, having made a lucrative commitment to Jonathan Greenard. Hunter’s edge partner could also soon be leaving Minnesota. 
D.J. Wonnum has a free agent visit lined up with the Panthers for tomorrow, Sheena Quick of 1340AM reports. That will be followed one day later by a visit with the Bears, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Hunter has far more in the way of pedigree than Wonnum, but the latter could be set to cash in on a new deal soon.
A fourth-round pick in 2020, Wonnum has alternated between notable and complementary production. In the 2021 season, he took on a starting role for the first time and recorded eight sacks. His playing time dropped considerably the following year, though, and he saw his production fall off. A return to first-team duties ensued for 2023, and Wonnum responded by again posting eight sacks with 21 QB pressures.
The 26-year-old could thus generate a notable market for his services on a second contract. Carolina has a massive need along the edge with Brian Burns having been traded to the Giants. The Panthers have a visit lined up with Chase Young, although they are not alone in that regard.
Carolina ranked last in the league in sacks in 2023, and Chicago finished 31st. The Bears made a major move aimed at addressing their pass-rushing problems at the trade deadline, though acquiring Montez Sweat from the Commanders. He was quickly handed a monster extension, giving Chicago one foundational player on the edge. More additions could be coming, and with just over $57.5MM in cap space the Bears could outbid the Panthers or most other teams in any potential Wonnum pursuit. It will be interesting to see how many other suitors show interest in this situation.
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. 
[RELATED: Panthers To Trade Brian Burns To Giants]
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.
A few of the top edge rushers in the 2024 free agent class have already found a new home. One of the more intriguing options still available is Chase Young, who has a trio of visits lined up. Carolina and New Orleans are expected host Young later this week, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. The Titans will also bring him in, colleague Ian Rapoport notes.
While Young’s Panthers meeting is taking place Thursday, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.football notes the former Defensive Rookie of the Year will make his trip to New Orleans on Friday.
Entering the NFL with massive expectations, Young seemed destined for a long and productive Commanders career given his play in 2020. He won Defensive Rookie of the Year honors that season, but things did not go according to plan after that. A torn ACL and a ruptured patellar tendon left the former No. 2 pick sidelined for considerable stretches, and his time in Washington ultimately came to an end at the trade deadline.
By the time the Commanders elected to deal Young to San Francisco, fellow defensive end (and pending free agent) Montez Sweat had been traded. The latter’s absence seemed to suggest Washington would attempt to re-sign Young, but instead his walk year concluded with the 49ers. Playing opposite Nick Bosa, Young posted only 2.5 sacks in nine regular season games with San Francisco (albeit while logging a much smaller workload). The Ohio State alum chipped in with one sack in the team’s run to the Super Bowl, but it would come as a surprise if the NFC champions made a major effort to retain him after his 2023 showing.
Still only 24, Young profiles as having some of the highest upside amongst free agents on either side of the ball this year. In both Carolina and New Orleans, he would be counted on as a key edge rush producer. The Panthers finally put an end to the Brian Burns saga on Monday, dealing him to the Giants. That has created a major vacancy along the edge, as Burns was the team’s most proficient sack artist.
Carolina was last in the league in sacks in 2023, and New Orleans did not fare much better (28th). The Saints were led in that department by Carl Granderson, but fellow defensive end Cameron Jordan was limited to a pair of sacks. Adding Young as a (potentially) impactful rusher off the edge would be beneficial to a Saints team needing to get younger on defense.
Tennessee saw 2023 sack leader Denico Autry agree to a deal with the Texans yesterday, so a replacement will be needed. Harold Landry and Arden Key are both under contract for 2024, but another rotational option would help the Titans’ front seven as the team looks to rebound from a poor performance last season. Young appears prepared to take his time vetting potential landing spots. .
MARCH 12: The Panthers are also a team to monitor on the Queen front, Joe Person of The Athletic reports. Carolina is set to lose Frankie Luvu once free agency opens, leaving a need for a new starter. Queen’s skillset would match well with the one being replaced, but the former first-rounder is no doubt a top option for additional teams. Carolina currently has roughly $25.5MM in cap space.
MARCH 11: Ever since he wasn’t tagged by the Ravens, linebacker Patrick Queen has been repeatedly linked to his former defensive coordinator, Mike Macdonald, who is the new head coach of the Seahawks. According to ESPN’s DJ Bien-Aime, the Texans are officially throwing their hat into the ring for this year’s second-team All-Pro linebacker. 
The Texans are set to fill some holes at linebacker with two heavy contributors hitting free agency. Blake Cashman has already agreed to a deal with the Vikings, and Denzel Perryman may not be far behind him at the door to the exit. Houston is already set to bring in former Titans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair to start alongside Christian Harris, but besides them, a number of inexperienced, young linebackers wait in the wings.
Queen would be an extremely nice pairing with Al-Shaair and Harris. Queen has been a full-time starter since his rookie season, never missing a game. As a first-round pick out of LSU, Queen struggled mightily to lead the storied Ravens defense, grading out as the second-worst linebacker in the league during his rookie season, according to Pro Football Focus. With the arrivals of Macdonald and Roquan Smith, Queen improved markedly, earning Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors for the first time in 2023.
If the Texans can land Queen, they could easily be set at linebacker for the 2024 season. Unfortunately, Bien-Aime notes that some in Queen’s circle are concerned that the Texans won’t come up the funds to sign the free agent defender. Spotrac.com lists a potential market value for Queen at $18.5MM per year, projecting a five-year, $92.64MM contract behind only his former teammate, Smith, and Fred Warner.
The Texans have plenty of cap space, with OverTheCap.com showing them with the sixth-most cap room to start the day. It’ll come down to whether or not Houston is willing to shell out top money for Queen to come in and once again attempt to lead a defense, this time under a great defensive mind in DeMeco Ryans.
At last, a resolution is coming in the Brian Burns saga. Two years after Burns became extension-eligible, he is being traded. The Giants will be the team to pay the franchise-tagged player now.
The Giants are sending the Panthers second- and fifth-round picks for Burns, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. This deal will also come with an extension. New York will give Burns his long-sought-after extension, signing off on a five-year deal worth up to $150MM. The contract includes $87.5MM in guarantees. The Giants held an extra second-round pick from the 2023 Leonard Williams trade; that will come in handy as the team replenishes its pass rush.
Carolina-New York conversations on Burns had taken place for a stretch, and with the Panthers pausing extension talks for the 2019 first-round pick, that will lead to a scenery change. The Panthers kept Ejiro Evero in place as DC, and GM Dan Morgan was in the front office during Burns’ negotiations last year and when the Rams made a monster trade offer — one that far surpasses this actual haul — in 2022. But the Panthers were unable to complete a deal. They will now take what they can get and move on.
This moves comes nearly 18 months after the Rams proposed two first-round picks and a third for Burns at the 2022 trade deadline. In the aftermath of the Matt Rhule firing, the Panthers balked and prepared extension talks with Burns in 2023. Those conversations did not produce an agreement, and it did not sound like anything was close last year. The sides broke off talks before the season, and although more trade offers — not on the level of the Rams proposal — came out, the then-Scott Fitterer-run Panthers stood pat.
Burns has not been a top-tier edge rusher, having recorded one 10-plus-sack season (12.5 in 2022) in his five-year career. But the Giants will bet on the Florida State alum’s consistency. Burns has tallied at least 7.5 sacks in each of his NFL slates. He totaled eight last year. The former Ron Rivera-era Panthers draftee has tallied between 18 and 22 QB hits over the past four seasons. Burns’ 46 career sacks rank 12th in the NFL since 2019.
The Giants took a bit to reinvest in their edge positions following the Jason Pierre-Paul and Olivier Vernon trades, but they took Azeez Ojulari in the 2021 second round. That was a Dave Gettleman-era move, and Ojulari did not play well in 2023. Ojulari only totaled 2.5 sacks in 11 games, undercutting Thibodeaux’s breakout to a degree. The Giants will pay up for Burns to go with Thibodeaux’s rookie deal, which can run through 2026 via the fifth-year option. While Burns’ AAV is not yet known, anything north of $28MM (T.J. Watt‘s deal) would bump him into second place behind only Nick Bosa among edges.
This wraps a long-running partnership for the Panthers, who had struggled to complement Burns on the edge. Yetur Gross-Matos and Justin Houston were unable to adequately do so, with hybrid performer Frankie Luvu — who is signing with the Commanders — being Carolina’s other top LB pass rusher. Gross-Matos and Marquis Haynes are free agents now. The Panthers will be in dire need at this premium position, and Monday saw a few of this year’s top edge players choose destinations already. The draft stands to be an avenue for the rebuilding team.