Panthers are getting even more value than they thought with $45 million player and he hasn’t even put on pads yet
The Carolina Panthers made a big swing to sign linebacker Devin Llyod this offseason to a three-year, $45 million contract. It’s his versatility against the pass that can make that deal look even better.
The Carolina Panthers made a big swing to sign linebacker Devin Llyod this offseason. Lloyd signed a three-year, $45 million contract with Carolina in the opening days of free agency.
Lloyd made a name for himself during his four years with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He reached his first Pro Bowl in 2025, and was one of two linebackers with five interceptions. He even returned one for a 99-yard touchdown, the longest pick-six of the season.
His coverage ability, however, isn’t all the Panthers are getting with their new defender.
Devin Lloyd named one of the most versatile players in the NFL
Lloyd is proven to be a nuisance for quarterbacks while he’s in coverage. His rare talent combined with his pass rushing prowess is makes him so valuable. The 3.5 sacks over the last two years don’t do his production justice.
The Athletic’s Ted Nguyen listed Lloyd as one of the 10 most versatile players in the NFL for his ability to affect the quarterback in coverage, and as a rusher.
In his fourth season, Devin Lloyd finally put it all together and had his best pro season playing in Anthony Campanile’s creative scheme in Jacksonville. He made second-team All-Pro and generated Defensive Player of the Year buzz early in the season. Lloyd was excellent as a run defender and pass defender and was a revelation as a blitzer. In coverage, he had five interceptions and seven passes defensed. His coverage ability was a big reason why the Jaguars finished first in defensive EPA on passes between the numbers. As a pass rusher, Lloyd had 10 quarterback hits and a ridiculous 28.1 percent pressure rate. Running backs had no shot at blocking him. Lloyd signed with the Panthers in free agency, and the hope is he can help a defense that struggled to defend the short-to-intermediate middle of the field.
Ted nguyen
The Athletic NFL senior writer
Generating pressures 28.1% of the time as a rusher is indeed ridiculous. He may’ve only had 1.5 sacks last year, but the 10 QB hits indicate he was right there significantly more times than the box score would indicate.
This didn’t come straight out the box, either. Lloyd’s pass rush grade according to Pro football Focus jumped from 59.2 in 2023, to 88.0 in 2024. It stayed in that range (81.8) in 2025 as his pass rushing snaps increased from 29, to 103. He recorded the third-most pressures (28) out of all off-ball backers despite having the 12th-most pass rushing snaps.
Lloyd has developed his tool box getting after the passer. Scheme can definitely be attributed to his production spike, but the Panthers would not have inked him to a $15 million per year deal without a plan to get some of those pressures for themselves.
Carolina has a versatile playmaker in the prime of his career in the middle of their defense. The last time that was the case, they were close to winning a Super Bowl.
Signing Lloyd could very easily become one of the best decisions the Panthers have made in a while.