According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Houston inked a one-year deal with Carolina that will pay him $6 million in 2023. The four-time Pro Bowl edge rusher has a chance to earn an additional $1 million if he meets certain incentives.

Houston spent the 2022 campaign with the Baltimore Ravens and had his best season in years. He managed to get 9.5 sacks and get 17 QB hits despite playing just 14 games and starting only once.

The Panthers are probably not relying on Houston to replicate his performance from 2022, but they will be happy if he can make plays in key moments. Also, his style of play fits naturally into defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero’s scheme, and he will likely have a chance to impact the game in various ways besides getting to the opposing quarterback.

Justin Houston spent the first eight years of his NFL career with the Kansas City Chiefs, making four Pro Bowls and earning one First-Team All-Pro nod. He also played for the Indianapolis Colts before spending the past two seasons in Baltimore. Houston’s career stats include 506 total tackles, 111.5 sacks, 19 forced fumbles, and two defensive touchdowns.

The post Panthers Sign Veteran Edge Rusher Justin Houston to a 1-Year Deal appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Young was a starter for two years at Alabama and finished his college career with 8,356 yards and 80 touchdowns. He won the Heisman Trophy in 2021 as the best player in college football and led the Crimson Tide to the National Championship game in the same year.

Despite being considered the best player in the 2023 class, Young wasn’t a consensus favorite of the No. 1 pick. Analysts recognized that he has all the skills needed for the QB position but were unimpressed with his size (5 ft 10 in and 204 lb) and how it will translate to the highest level.

But it turns out that neither the Panthers nor their head coach Frank Reich thinks the lack of size will pose an issue for Young in the pros.

“You just watched the tape. There’s a lot said about the size. At the end of the day, there are a lot of factors that go into it. But we’re coaches; we’re scouts. We watched the tape. And when you watch the tape, Bryce Young is the best player, “said Reich after the pick was made.

Two more quarterbacks were drafted in the Top 4 of the 2023 NFL Draft. Ohio State’s C. J. Stroud was selected second overall by the Houston Texans, while the Indianapolis Colts took Florida’s Anthony Richardson with the No. 4 pick.

The post Panthers Draft Alabama’s QB Bryce Young With the No.1 Pick in the 2023 NFL Draft appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Upon his arrival in North Carolina, Clark is expected to pair up with Adam Thielen, the veteran free agent who the Panthers signed on a three-year deal. The pairing is expected to help the Panthers fill the void left behind by 2018 first-round pick DJ Moore, who departed for the Chicago Bears in exchange for a first-round draft pick.

Clark, who spent the 2022 season with the Detroit Lions, proved to be a major asset for the Lions, averaging 16.7 yards per catch in 11 games. A clear vertical threat, Clark also caught 30 passes for 502 yards and three touchdowns during the 2022 season.

Overall, Clark has 177 receptions for 2,544 yards and 18 touchdowns throughout his career. He was also a Pro Bowl selection in 2019.

The post Panthers Reach Agreement With Wide Receiver DJ Clark appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Chicago will receive Carolina’s first-round selection at No. 9, the number 61 second-round pick, a 2024 first-round pick, and a 2025 second-round selection.

Since last week’s scouting combine, an array of NFL teams have expressed an interest in reaching a deal with the Bears to get their hands on this season’s number-one draft pick. While the Houston Texans were vocal about their intent, it was the Panthers who made the first move, reaching out to the Bears during the combine in order to find out about the chances of a trade.

According to one source, the Panthers were eager to secure the prime draft pick after identifying two quarterbacks whom they wanted to get their hands on.

The post Bears Trade Number One Overall Pick to Panthers appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Reich, who was the Panthers’ first quarterback when they started playing in 1995, was previously the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts; a position he was dismissed from in November. He becomes the sixth head coach in the Panthers’ history as well as the first one to be offensive-minded.

Panthers owner David Teper chose Reich after conducting a search that came up with nine candidates, including interim head coach Steve Wilks and former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton. Ultimately, Teper favored Reich’s offensive-mindedness over Wilks, who has more experience in defense. Reich’s involvement in offensive calls is expected to largely depend on who he hires as an offensive coordinator.

Seven of the nine candidates had offensive backgrounds, with the team prioritizing solving its quarterback problem. The team’s offensive line has been in decline since quarterback Cam Newton experienced shoulder problems in 2018.

The post Carolina Panthers Set to Hire Frank Reich as Head Coach appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

“This is a tough business,” Wilks said following the announcement. “Sitting in this seat, it was a tough decision on my part, but something I felt like was the best move for the team moving forward.”

According to Wilks, the decision to cut Mayfield from the team was reached by way of mutual agreement. For Mayfield, the decision to agree to the waiver came after he learned that he would not be used as a starter nor as a backup going forward this season.

Following Mayfield’s departure, the Panthers will have to choose between Sam Darnold and PJ Walker to replace Mayfield at quarterback. Darnold is largely expected to start the Panthers’ upcoming game against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.

Now, Mayfield will be available on waivers to each of the other 31 NFL teams until Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET, after which he will become an unrestricted free agent.

Potential suitors for Mayfield include the San Francisco 49ers, whose first-choice quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is out for the season due to a broken ankle, and the Baltimore Ravens, who could be without Lamar Jackson for a few weeks.

The post Panthers Waive Quarterback Baker Mayfield appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

According to the 49ers, they sent second, third, and fourth-round picks in 2023 and a fifth-rounder in 2024 to Carolina in order to get McCaffrey.

After the trade was completed, McCaffrey said goodbye to the Panthers’ franchise and fans via social media.

“I’m forever grateful for all of the people who have helped make these past 5 1/2 years so special for me,” he wrote on Twitter.

The Panthers have been shopping McCaffrey for a while now as they are looking to start with a rebuild after another disappointing start of the season. The team initially hoped it could get at least a first-round pick for the All-Pro back but ended up settling for a package that the 49ers offered.

San Francisco, on the other hand, probably felt that McCaffrey moves them closer to a Super Bowl win. The 26-year-old player significantly upgrade their running game while also opening different ways their offense can move the ball down the field.

Christian McCaffrey rushed for 3,980 yards and 32 touchdowns since entering the league in 2017. He also has 390 catches for 3,292 receiving yards and 18 receiving touchdowns. McCaffrey holds a number of NFL records and is only the third player in NFL history to have over 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving in a single season, a feat he achieved in 2019.

The post 49ers Acquire Star RB Christian McCaffrey in a Trade With Panthers appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Mayfield was diagnosed with a high ankle sprain and will be out anywhere from two to six weeks. The sources close to the player say the 27-year-old player wants to return as soon as possible but a speedy comeback remains unlikely.  

While Rhule took the blame for Carolina’s poor performances, the truth is that Mayfield’s poor performances played a big part in the Panthers’ struggles in 2022. The 2018’s first overall pick is completing career-low 54.9 percent of his passes this season and has thrown for only 962 yards and four touchdowns. He also has four interceptions.

The bad news for the Panthers is that their backup signal caller Sam Darnold is also out with an injury. Darnold suffered a similar injury to Mayfield’s during the preseason and is reportedly still weeks away from getting back in action.

In the absence of Mayfield and Darnold, the Panthers’ interim head coach Steve Wilks will be forced to turn to third-string QB PJ Walker. The former XFL player started two games for the Panthers in the past two seasons and won both of them. However, Walker’s overall stats in NFL are not promising as he has just two touchdowns to eight interceptions.

“PJ is up and ready,” Wilks told reporters during his introductory press conference. “He does a great job in being prepared each and every day. I have total confidence if he has to step in.”

The post Carolina’s Starting QB Baker Mayfield Set to Miss 2 to 6 Weeks appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Panthers’ secondary coach Steve Wilks will take over the HC duties on an interim basis. Wilks spent a total of seven years with the organization, serving in a number of different roles. He was the head coach for the Arizona Cardinals in 2018 but was fired after going 3-16 in his first year.

Matt Rhule joined the Panthers on a highly-lucrative six-year contract in 2020 with the goal of transforming the franchise into a championship contender after several lukewarm seasons under Ron Rivera. Rhule, who impressed owner David Tepper with the way he turned around college programs of Tempe and Baylor, was reportedly given much say in the organizational sense and even got a final word on the hiring of general manager Scott Fitterer.

However, Rhule failed to deliver what he was brought in for, with the Panthers going 11-27 during his time in Carolina. The 47-year-old seemed over his head in the NFL. It also didn’t help that the Panthers didn’t have a franchise QB while he was at the helm.

Rhule leaves less than three years into his deal and is reportedly set for a big compensation. He should receive north of $20 million as compensation.

The post Panthers Fire Head Coach Matt Rhule after Disastrous Start of the Season appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The Browns traded Mayfield to Carolina last month for a conditional fifth-rounder. Previously, Cleveland acquired Pro Bowler Deshaun Watson in a blockbuster trade with the Houston Texans.

Following Mayfield’s arrival to the Panthers, the former first-overall pick wasn’t immediately given the starting spot. The coaching staff decided on the QB competition with the last year’s starter Sam Darnold, although many believed Mayfield was the favorite all along.

Despite not having any dazzling performances during the training camp or preseason, Mayfield reportedly did enough to remain in front of Darnold. He quickly learned the playbook, and the Panthers simply felt more confident rolling with him to start the campaign.

“When we started the process, we said we were looking at three things,” said Panthers’ head coach Matt Rhule. “No. 1, mastery of the offense; No. 2, situational football excellence; and No. 3, moving the ball and getting guys involved… Baker has made a lot of improvement, a lot of growth in all three areas in a short amount of time.”

Baker Mayfield made 59 starts with the Browns in the past four years and has a 29-30 record as a starter. Overall, he threw for 14,125 yards, 92 touchdowns, and 56 interceptions.

The post Panthers Decide on Baker Mayfield as Starter in Week 1 appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Houston inked a one-year deal with Carolina that will pay him $6 million in 2023. The four-time Pro Bowl edge rusher has a chance to earn an additional $1 million if he meets certain incentives.

Houston spent the 2022 campaign with the Baltimore Ravens and had his best season in years. He managed to get 9.5 sacks and get 17 QB hits despite playing just 14 games and starting only once.

The Panthers are probably not relying on Houston to replicate his performance from 2022, but they will be happy if he can make plays in key moments. Also, his style of play fits naturally into defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero’s scheme, and he will likely have a chance to impact the game in various ways besides getting to the opposing quarterback.

Justin Houston spent the first eight years of his NFL career with the Kansas City Chiefs, making four Pro Bowls and earning one First-Team All-Pro nod. He also played for the Indianapolis Colts before spending the past two seasons in Baltimore. Houston’s career stats include 506 total tackles, 111.5 sacks, 19 forced fumbles, and two defensive touchdowns.

The post Panthers Sign Veteran Edge Rusher Justin Houston to a 1-Year Deal appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Young was a starter for two years at Alabama and finished his college career with 8,356 yards and 80 touchdowns. He won the Heisman Trophy in 2021 as the best player in college football and led the Crimson Tide to the National Championship game in the same year.

Despite being considered the best player in the 2023 class, Young wasn’t a consensus favorite of the No. 1 pick. Analysts recognized that he has all the skills needed for the QB position but were unimpressed with his size (5 ft 10 in and 204 lb) and how it will translate to the highest level.

But it turns out that neither the Panthers nor their head coach Frank Reich thinks the lack of size will pose an issue for Young in the pros.

“You just watched the tape. There’s a lot said about the size. At the end of the day, there are a lot of factors that go into it. But we’re coaches; we’re scouts. We watched the tape. And when you watch the tape, Bryce Young is the best player, “said Reich after the pick was made.

Two more quarterbacks were drafted in the Top 4 of the 2023 NFL Draft. Ohio State’s C. J. Stroud was selected second overall by the Houston Texans, while the Indianapolis Colts took Florida’s Anthony Richardson with the No. 4 pick.

The post Panthers Draft Alabama’s QB Bryce Young With the No.1 Pick in the 2023 NFL Draft appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Upon his arrival in North Carolina, Clark is expected to pair up with Adam Thielen, the veteran free agent who the Panthers signed on a three-year deal. The pairing is expected to help the Panthers fill the void left behind by 2018 first-round pick DJ Moore, who departed for the Chicago Bears in exchange for a first-round draft pick.

Clark, who spent the 2022 season with the Detroit Lions, proved to be a major asset for the Lions, averaging 16.7 yards per catch in 11 games. A clear vertical threat, Clark also caught 30 passes for 502 yards and three touchdowns during the 2022 season.

Overall, Clark has 177 receptions for 2,544 yards and 18 touchdowns throughout his career. He was also a Pro Bowl selection in 2019.

The post Panthers Reach Agreement With Wide Receiver DJ Clark appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Chicago will receive Carolina’s first-round selection at No. 9, the number 61 second-round pick, a 2024 first-round pick, and a 2025 second-round selection.

Since last week’s scouting combine, an array of NFL teams have expressed an interest in reaching a deal with the Bears to get their hands on this season’s number-one draft pick. While the Houston Texans were vocal about their intent, it was the Panthers who made the first move, reaching out to the Bears during the combine in order to find out about the chances of a trade.

According to one source, the Panthers were eager to secure the prime draft pick after identifying two quarterbacks whom they wanted to get their hands on.

The post Bears Trade Number One Overall Pick to Panthers appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Reich, who was the Panthers’ first quarterback when they started playing in 1995, was previously the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts; a position he was dismissed from in November. He becomes the sixth head coach in the Panthers’ history as well as the first one to be offensive-minded.

Panthers owner David Teper chose Reich after conducting a search that came up with nine candidates, including interim head coach Steve Wilks and former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton. Ultimately, Teper favored Reich’s offensive-mindedness over Wilks, who has more experience in defense. Reich’s involvement in offensive calls is expected to largely depend on who he hires as an offensive coordinator.

Seven of the nine candidates had offensive backgrounds, with the team prioritizing solving its quarterback problem. The team’s offensive line has been in decline since quarterback Cam Newton experienced shoulder problems in 2018.

The post Carolina Panthers Set to Hire Frank Reich as Head Coach appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

“This is a tough business,” Wilks said following the announcement. “Sitting in this seat, it was a tough decision on my part, but something I felt like was the best move for the team moving forward.”

According to Wilks, the decision to cut Mayfield from the team was reached by way of mutual agreement. For Mayfield, the decision to agree to the waiver came after he learned that he would not be used as a starter nor as a backup going forward this season.

Following Mayfield’s departure, the Panthers will have to choose between Sam Darnold and PJ Walker to replace Mayfield at quarterback. Darnold is largely expected to start the Panthers’ upcoming game against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.

Now, Mayfield will be available on waivers to each of the other 31 NFL teams until Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET, after which he will become an unrestricted free agent.

Potential suitors for Mayfield include the San Francisco 49ers, whose first-choice quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is out for the season due to a broken ankle, and the Baltimore Ravens, who could be without Lamar Jackson for a few weeks.

The post Panthers Waive Quarterback Baker Mayfield appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

According to the 49ers, they sent second, third, and fourth-round picks in 2023 and a fifth-rounder in 2024 to Carolina in order to get McCaffrey.

After the trade was completed, McCaffrey said goodbye to the Panthers’ franchise and fans via social media.

“I’m forever grateful for all of the people who have helped make these past 5 1/2 years so special for me,” he wrote on Twitter.

The Panthers have been shopping McCaffrey for a while now as they are looking to start with a rebuild after another disappointing start of the season. The team initially hoped it could get at least a first-round pick for the All-Pro back but ended up settling for a package that the 49ers offered.

San Francisco, on the other hand, probably felt that McCaffrey moves them closer to a Super Bowl win. The 26-year-old player significantly upgrade their running game while also opening different ways their offense can move the ball down the field.

Christian McCaffrey rushed for 3,980 yards and 32 touchdowns since entering the league in 2017. He also has 390 catches for 3,292 receiving yards and 18 receiving touchdowns. McCaffrey holds a number of NFL records and is only the third player in NFL history to have over 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving in a single season, a feat he achieved in 2019.

The post 49ers Acquire Star RB Christian McCaffrey in a Trade With Panthers appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Mayfield was diagnosed with a high ankle sprain and will be out anywhere from two to six weeks. The sources close to the player say the 27-year-old player wants to return as soon as possible but a speedy comeback remains unlikely.  

While Rhule took the blame for Carolina’s poor performances, the truth is that Mayfield’s poor performances played a big part in the Panthers’ struggles in 2022. The 2018’s first overall pick is completing career-low 54.9 percent of his passes this season and has thrown for only 962 yards and four touchdowns. He also has four interceptions.

The bad news for the Panthers is that their backup signal caller Sam Darnold is also out with an injury. Darnold suffered a similar injury to Mayfield’s during the preseason and is reportedly still weeks away from getting back in action.

In the absence of Mayfield and Darnold, the Panthers’ interim head coach Steve Wilks will be forced to turn to third-string QB PJ Walker. The former XFL player started two games for the Panthers in the past two seasons and won both of them. However, Walker’s overall stats in NFL are not promising as he has just two touchdowns to eight interceptions.

“PJ is up and ready,” Wilks told reporters during his introductory press conference. “He does a great job in being prepared each and every day. I have total confidence if he has to step in.”

The post Carolina’s Starting QB Baker Mayfield Set to Miss 2 to 6 Weeks appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Panthers’ secondary coach Steve Wilks will take over the HC duties on an interim basis. Wilks spent a total of seven years with the organization, serving in a number of different roles. He was the head coach for the Arizona Cardinals in 2018 but was fired after going 3-16 in his first year.

Matt Rhule joined the Panthers on a highly-lucrative six-year contract in 2020 with the goal of transforming the franchise into a championship contender after several lukewarm seasons under Ron Rivera. Rhule, who impressed owner David Tepper with the way he turned around college programs of Tempe and Baylor, was reportedly given much say in the organizational sense and even got a final word on the hiring of general manager Scott Fitterer.

However, Rhule failed to deliver what he was brought in for, with the Panthers going 11-27 during his time in Carolina. The 47-year-old seemed over his head in the NFL. It also didn’t help that the Panthers didn’t have a franchise QB while he was at the helm.

Rhule leaves less than three years into his deal and is reportedly set for a big compensation. He should receive north of $20 million as compensation.

The post Panthers Fire Head Coach Matt Rhule after Disastrous Start of the Season appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The Browns traded Mayfield to Carolina last month for a conditional fifth-rounder. Previously, Cleveland acquired Pro Bowler Deshaun Watson in a blockbuster trade with the Houston Texans.

Following Mayfield’s arrival to the Panthers, the former first-overall pick wasn’t immediately given the starting spot. The coaching staff decided on the QB competition with the last year’s starter Sam Darnold, although many believed Mayfield was the favorite all along.

Despite not having any dazzling performances during the training camp or preseason, Mayfield reportedly did enough to remain in front of Darnold. He quickly learned the playbook, and the Panthers simply felt more confident rolling with him to start the campaign.

“When we started the process, we said we were looking at three things,” said Panthers’ head coach Matt Rhule. “No. 1, mastery of the offense; No. 2, situational football excellence; and No. 3, moving the ball and getting guys involved… Baker has made a lot of improvement, a lot of growth in all three areas in a short amount of time.”

Baker Mayfield made 59 starts with the Browns in the past four years and has a 29-30 record as a starter. Overall, he threw for 14,125 yards, 92 touchdowns, and 56 interceptions.

The post Panthers Decide on Baker Mayfield as Starter in Week 1 appeared first on yoursportspot.com.