With Shaq Thompson out of the mix after undergoing surgery to repair a fractured fibula, the Panthers will bring up one of the league’s most experienced linebackers. Deion Jones is now on Carolina’s 53-man roster.
A six-year Falcons starter, Jones wound up with the Browns via trade last year. He caught on with the Panthers this summer, and while he did not make the squad out of the preseason, the Thompson injury has changed the equation for Frank Reich’s team. To fill Jones’ spot on the practice squad, the Panthers added quarterback Jake Luton.
The Panthers plugged Kamu Grugier-Hill into their lineup after Thompson was carted to the locker room. It will be interesting to see if Jones can carve out a steady role, given his experience. The former Atlanta standout and pick-six maven has made 88 starts; five of those came with the Browns last season.
Jones’ stock has undeniably dipped since he signed a big-ticket Falcons extension back in 2019, with The Athletic’s Joe Person noting the Panthers were not especially high on him during training camp (subscription required). The team then released Jones before circling back to him via a practice squad invite. Though, the former second-round pick is still only 28.
Grugier-Hill, 29, has made 37 career starts. But the well-traveled vet fared well replacing Jones on Monday night, recording a sack, a tackle for loss and six total stops in Carolina’s loss to New Orleans. The team has made a number of changes at linebacker in recent years, though losing Thompson for a season will require the franchise’s biggest adjustment at the position since Luke Kuechly‘s early retirement. The Panthers still have hybrid player Frankie Luvu at the position. Their other two active-roster LBs — Chandler Wooten, Claudin Cherelus — do not bring much experience. The Panthers added Wooten off the Cardinals’ practice squad last year and claimed Cherelus off waivers from the Jets last month.
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