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Greg Auman
NFC South Reporter
During an offseason in which the Panthers have had such heavy turnover on their defense, Carolina took a major step Friday to lock up a central part of that unit, signing defensive tackle Derrick Brown to a four-year extension worth $96 million.
Brown, who turns 26 this month, made his first Pro Bowl this past season after leading all NFL defensive linemen with 103 tackles. His presence in the middle of the defensive front remains a strength on Carolina’s overhauled defense, and the team’s new leadership had made it clear keeping him was a priority.
“Derrick’s a great player, great person, and he embodies what a Panther is,” general manager Dan Morgan said at the NFL Combine.
Brown, taken with the seventh overall pick in the 2020 draft, was set to play on his fifth-year option this fall, earning $11.7 million. The new deal will tack on four years, keeping him in Carolina through the 2028 season.
The money is a substantial commitment for the Panthers, who traded pass-rusher Brian Burns to the Giants last month after being unable to work out a long-term extension. Burns got $141 million over five years from New York, and linebacker Frankie Luvu, who left in free agency, got $31 million from the Commanders. On a per-year basis, Brown is now the Panthers’ highest-paid player, topping the $20 million per year that new guard Robert Hunt just landed in free agency last month.
Can Brown now take his game to another level? He has been a prolific tackler and a key cog in Carolina’s run defense, but hasn’t gotten to opposing quarterbacks much, with eight career sacks in four seasons and no fumbles forced or recovered. Pro Football Focus rated him as the NFL’s No. 4 interior lineman on defense, and one of the three ahead of him (Aaron Donald) has since retired.
The $96 million ties Brown as the fourth-highest paid defensive tackle in the league, behind three deals signed last month. The Chiefs paid…
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Publish date : 2024-04-05 17:49:04
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