The Carolina Panthers locked in defensive tackle Derrick Brown to a massive four-year, $96 million extension, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported in a Friday tweet.
The deal includes $63.165 million guaranteed, Schefter reported.
Panthers DT Derrick Brown is signing a four-year, $96 million extension that includes $63.165 million guaranteed, per source.
Deal negotiated by Brown’s agents Drew Rosenhaus, Jason Rosenhaus and Robert Bailey and Panthers execs Dan Morgan and Brandt Tillis. Drew Rosenhaus… pic.twitter.com/deXjEw0uHr
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 5, 2024
After shipping star edge rusher Brian Burns to the New York Giants in March, Carolina seems poised to center their defensive rebuild around the 25-year-old stopgap. (RELATED: NFL Team We All Thought Was Giving Up Just Made A Super Solid Signing)
The Panthers, who spent a first round pick on Brown in 2020, are clearly happy with the defensive tackle’s performance.
Brown earned Pro Bowl honors for the first time in his career in 2023 after a stellar season as one of the lone bright spots of the Carolina’s 2-15 2023 campaign.
The fearsome lineman has been named to Pro Football Focus’ (PFF) Top 100 list two seasons in a row, landing as the Panthers’ lone representative last season.
“Brown was historically disruptive along the defensive line for the Panthers in 2023. He led all interior defenders in defensive stops (53) and solo tackles by PFF’s count (73). His PFF run-defense grade was an elite 90.0, and he missed only five tackles all season,” PFF’s Sam Monson wrote.
The big beast also set a record for tackles by a defensive lineman last season with a jaw-dropping 103 tackles in 2023.
With that production, under $100 million actually looks like a steal.