Currently, no team in the NFC has more roster gaps to fill than the Carolina Panthers. Realistically, addressing all of them will require more than one offseason, particularly considering the team’s existing salary cap circumstances. Currently, they possess just over $20 million in cap space, though it’s only $15.3 million when accounting for the expense of signing draft picks.
This implies that even though they may wish to tackle each challenging situation head-on, they will need to seek cost-effective solutions to resolve multiple issues. As per Bleacher Report, the Panthers ought to address their defensive tackle needs by pursuing Levi Onwuzurike from the Detroit Lions, who is nearing free agency.
B/R regarding Panthers-Lions DT
“The Carolina Panthers should be interested in Onwuzurike as well.” Carolina’s star defensive tackle Derrick Brown suffered a meniscus injury early in the last season, leading to a finish at the bottom of the rankings for rushing yards and yards per carry allowed.
Onwuzurike (standing 6 feet 3 inches and weighing 290 pounds) competed at Washington, where he recorded seven sacks and 17 tackles for loss in 39 games.
After that, he was selected in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft by Detroit and has since played 42 games in the NFL, primarily in a backup role. He achieved his initial 10 starts during the previous season. Onwuzurike achieved commendable scores from PFF in 2024, receiving 64.1 for run defense and 67.1 for pass rushing, culminating in a career-best overall grade of 69.4.
We believe that the Panthers are likely to tackle this position in the draft; however, if they miss out on players like Michigan’s Mason Graham or Kenneth Grant, Onwuzurike could remain available post-draft.