The Carolina Panthers made a significant move ahead of roster cutdown day, signing veteran linebacker Bobby Okereke to a one-year deal to fill the starting linebacker spot that remained unsettled throughout training camp and the preseason.

Panthers head coach Dave Canales held an open competition for the LB2 role next to Devin Lloyd between Trevin Wallace and Claudin Cherelus, but neither internal candidate separated himself enough to claim the job.

“They’re head to head,” Canales told reporters on Monday. “It’s back and forth, and it’s like, it’s neck and neck.”

After the preseason finale, the last showing for Wallace or Cherelus to stand out, it was clear the Panthers needed to explore an outside addition to fill the position, and they brought in the top available option.

Grade: B+

Why the Panthers went outside the building and why Bobby Okereke was the best option

The competition between Wallace and Cherelus never produced a clear winner. Neither player could distance himself from the other during camp, and the direction of this move felt inevitable to those around the beat. Carolina needed a proven starter at the second level of the defense, and Okereke fits that description.

Okereke brings 110 games of experience, 95 of them as a starter, to the table across four seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and three years with the New York Giants. He posted four seasons with over 130 tackles during that stretch. He’s not a top-flight player at this stage of his career, but the veteran is still a starting-caliber addition and an upgrade over what the Panthers had in the building.

The signing gives Carolina two strong linebackers in Lloyd and Okereke to anchor Ejiro Evero’s defense heading into the Week 1 matchup against the Chicago Bears.

What this means for the rest of the roster, especially at linebacker

With roster cutdowns due on Sunday at 6:00 p.m. ET, the signing creates a ripple effect throughout the linebacker room. The main question now becomes, what happens to Wallace and Cherelus? Do the Panthers keep both as reserve linebackers?

“We could use them both, and we’re going to need them,” Canales explained on Monday. “The nature of the position is a violent spot, and both of the guys can help us on special teams as well, so we’ll have to make that decision as we get closer, but they’re both doing a great job of competing to be in that spot next to Devin.”

What about the rest of the linebacker room that also features rookie Jackson Kuwatch, special team ace Bam Martin-Scott, and even Maema Njongmeta? It’s going to be a tough number’s game for Canales and general manager Dan Morgan to sort out over the next few hours.

“I think of Maema Njongmeta, for example, a guy that we know can really help us on special teams and really gives himself value that way,” Canales said after Friday’s game. “He played quality snaps on defense throughout this preseason, finishing some games. So, the inside linebacker picture is going to be an interesting one to sort out.”

Ultimately, Okereke brings veteran experience and a proven track record that this linebacker room was missing. How quickly he gets up to speed in Evero’s scheme will be worth monitoring, but his production over the years should give this defense a strong foundation in the second level it’s been lacking for years. The rest will sort itself out.