Panthers Working Out OLBs Carl Lawson & Yannick Ngakoue

According to Mike Kaye, the Panthers are planning to host veteran edge rushers Carl Lawson and Yannick Ngakoue for workouts this week. 

Edge rusher is a sore spot for the Panthers after trading Brian Burns to the Giants this offseason. Carolina signed Jadeveon Clowney and D.J. Wonnum in free agency, but Wonnum is still recovering from a torn quad and depth is a major issue. 

The Panthers were one of the landing spots we mentioned as making the most sense for Lawson earlier this year. 

Lawson, 28, is a former fourth-round pick of the Bengals back in 2017 out of Auburn. He played out the final year of his four-year, $3.05 million contract and was testing the open market for the first time in his NFL career when he signed a three-year, $45 million deal with the Jets in 2021. 

Lawson was entering the final year of that deal and set to make a base salary of $15 million in 2023 when he agreed to a pay cut. He became an unrestricted free agent this off-season.

In 2023, Lawson appeared in six games for the Jets and recorded five tackles and no sacks.

Ngakoue, 29, is a former third-round pick of the Jaguars back in 2016 out of Maryland. He played out the final year of his four-year, $3.48 million contract before the Jaguars used the franchise tag on him.

However, Ngakoue refused to play for the Jaguars in a contract dispute and they later traded him to the Vikings. He lasted just a few months in Minnesota before he was traded to the Ravens that same season. 

As an unrestricted free agent in 2021, Ngakoue signed a two-year, $26 million deal with the Raiders. He was traded to the Colts after one year in exchange for CB Rock Ya-Sin.

Ngakoue signed a one-year, $10.5 million deal with Chicago last August.  

In 2023, Ngakoue appeared in 13 games and recorded 22 tackles, four sacks and six tackles for loss. 

We have both included in our Top 100 Available Free Agents list.