The Carolina Panthers believe they landed a steal in free agency when they landed linebacker Devin Lloyd on a three-year, $45 million deal. While it looks like a sizable contract, it was decently below the projected market price for the former Jacksonville Jaguars first-round pick.

The reason why is because teams were skeptical about Lloyd’s true projection and believe he overperformed at the right time in a new system tailored for his abilities. Lloyd was able to hit the market after notching his first Pro Bowl selection along with a second-team All-Pro nod. Doubters could even point to Jacksonville’s hesitancy to bring him back as a potential red flag.

The Panthers, however, view Lloyd’s breakout season in 2025 as a sign of things to come. ESPN views it as the opposite, flashing the warning lights regarding one of Carolina’s top offseason additions.

ESPN isn’t buying the hype with Devin Lloyd after signing with the Carolina Panthers

Landing a starting-caliber linebacker was imperative for the Panthers this offseason and credit to general manager Dan Morgan for playing the market right with Lloyd. Now, the question is whether or not the Panthers can get the same level of play out of Lloyd that he showed last season with the Jaguars under new defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile.

Working with Campanile, Lloyd had a career season posting five interceptions and 10 QB hits. However, he had a career-low 81 tackles. That’s because Campanile utilized Lloyd in a new way compared to his first three seasons, as ESPN’s Ben Solak pointed out.

“The book on Lloyd has always been that his length and explosiveness would give him sideline-to-sideline range. But that lightbulb never really came on as a true off-ball linebacker. So, Campanile instead lined Lloyd up on the line of scrimmage more (up from 8.0% in 2024 to 16.4% in 2025), at times flexing him off the edge into almost a nickelback alignment. This narrowed Lloyd’s vision — he didn’t have to read and react to nearly as many post-snap keys — and let him play faster. The reimagined role also allowed him to blitz more, and he excels there.”

In Carolina, the early signs show that Lloyd will be used more as a traditional sideline-to-sideline inside linebacker in Ejiro Evero’s scheme and the defense doesn’t have the linebacker depth to utilize Lloyd in that same way. Lloyd doesn’t view it that way.

Devin Lloyd explains the scheme difference between the Panthers and Jaguars regarding his potential role

“I wouldn’t even say scheme to scheme is anything different, but for me, it’s showing coach that, hey, I can do anything,” Lloyd explained. “I can blitz, I can cover whatever position you ask me to do. Put me in it, and I’ll make the play. It’s just winning whenever my number’s called and the more you do that, the more he’ll call your number.”

In Carolina, Lloyd will be used as a designed blitzer on certain plays and can still bring his ball skills over in zone coverage while getting back to being a 100+ tackle player. Evero’s scheme should allow him to put his full skill set on display.

The real benefit being in Carolina is having a “really, really stout D-line” that’s led by Derrick Brown and fellow offseason acquisition Jaelan Phillips. Having a strong defensive front makes everything easier for a linebacker as franchise legend and new Hall of Fame selection Luke Kuechly explained.

It makes run support, blitzing the quarterback, and pass coverage much easier for the players in the second level. So, while things seem to be heading toward regression on paper after leaving Jacksonville, it might end up being the opposite for Lloyd. And that’s something the Panthers will be banking on in 2026.