Carolina Panthers signing LB Josey Jewell to three-year, $22.75 million contract

The Carolina Panthers have made another free agency move just before the official start of the 2024 free agency period.

On Monday, the Panthers traded away star linebacker Brian Burns, dealing him to the New York Giants for draft picks. And on Tuesday it appears as if they have found his replacement in former Denver Broncos LB Josey Jewell.

According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, Jewell and Carolina have agreed on a three-year deal in principle worth $22.75 million.

“Source: The Panthers have agreed to terms with #Broncos LB Josey Jewell. Another addition in Carolina. It’s a 3-year deal worth $22.75M, source said. He gets a $7M signing bonus and $10M fully guaranteed,” said Rapoport via X.

Jewell has had his fair share of injury problems, but he appeared to have put them behind him in the 2023 campaign. Last season for the Broncos, the former Iowa Hawkeye played in 16 of their 17 games, starting in 15, and recorded 108 total tackles, 60 solo, three passes defended, three sacks, two tackles for loss, and forced two fumbles while recovering another three.

More on the 2024 NFL offseason, free agency

The NFL 2024 calendar year begins at 4 p.m. ET on March 13. At that time, contracts running through 2023 officially run out, making those players free agents. Prior to the beginning of free agency, teams will have a chance to designate one franchise or transition tag player, starting on Feb. 20 at 4 p.m. ET and ending on March 5. Beginning March 11 through March 13 teams can enter into a legal negotiation with players who are set to become unrestricted free agents.

In addition to NFL free agency, the new year also marks the beginning of all trades being made official by the league office. April 19 marks the deadline to sign restricted free agents to offer sheets. On April 24, the deadline for teams to match restricted free agent offers sheets hits. Following the restricted free agent deadline comes the 2024 NFL Draft, which runs from April 25-27.

More on restricted, exclusive rights free agents

Players with only three years of accredited NFL experience become restricted free agents. Their original team will have the option to apply first-round, second-round, original-round, and right-of-fight-of-first-refusal tenders on players at escalating price tags. The higher the round, the more expensive the tender amount; however, if a separate team does offer a contract and the original team does not match, that round’s pick will be conveyed from the new team to the original team. Right of first refusal only gives a team the option to match or not. If they don’t match, they get nothing in return. An original-round tender would send a draft pick from whatever round the player was drafted back to the original team if they chose not to match. The original team will have five days to match once a player signs an offer sheet from a new team.