Panthers step up defense on official first day of free agency



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Reddick, 26, is the big fish, but also a familiar face to Panthers staff.

He played for Panthers head coach Matt Rhule and defensive coordinator Phil Snow at Temple (with 9.5 sacks and 22.5 tackles for loss as a senior), and he ultimately looked like the player they knew about it again last season.

Reddick was the Cardinals’ 13th pick in 2017, but only managed 7.5 sacks in his first three years, never blinking the way he did in college. He thrived last year, with 12.5 sacks and six forced fumbles in Arizona.

At 6-foot-1 and 235 pounds, Reddick isn’t the prototypical size for a pass-rusher, but the Panthers aren’t concerned about defensive models.

Between Brian Burns being a hybrid of end linebacker and Jeremy Chinn able to play it safe and linebacker, the Panthers are comfortable with guys who are not easy to define.

Perryman, 28, gives the Panthers a solid stoppage presence in the middle, filling in the spot left when Tahir Whitehead became a free agent.

Perryman was a second-round pick in 2015 and started 51 games for the Chargers. He’s a classic linebacker on the inside, and he gives them some flexibility in the way they use Chinn and Jermaine Carter.

Fox, 26, adds a versatile pass-rusher up front for the Panthers. He had 6.0 sacks for the Rams last season, and his ability to play indoors or outdoors gives them another room to move.

All they did on offense was add two starters to a streaming line.

While the Panthers managed to keep right tackle Taylor Moton with the franchise tag, the only other contract starter was center Matt Paradis.

Five other offensive linemen from last year’s squad became unrestricted free agents on Wednesday – left tackle Russell Okung, left guard Chris Reed, right guard John Miller and reservists Michael Schofield and Tyler Larsen.

Elflein and Erving give the Panthers experienced options that tick many of the boxes Rhule likes in gamers.

Elflein, 26, can play multiple indoor spots and gives them immediate starting custody and potential future coverage in the middle (Paradis still has a year on his contract).

A former third-round pick for the Ohio State Vikings, Elflein has 49 starts in four seasons (finishing last year with the Jets).

Erving, 28, is even more versatile, with the ability to play all five positions. He spent the last year as a swing tackle for the Cowboys, but also played center and guard during his time with the Browns and Chiefs. The former first-round pick has 47 career starts and probably has the first chance to take over from the left tackle.

It has already been a busy week. But as Fitterer walked in before sunrise Thursday, he knew there was more work to be done.

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