Panthers find perfect pivot in Chiefs' hidden gem Tershawn Wharton after losing a bidding war with Patriots for Milton Williams

A former undrafted free agent out of Missouri S&T in 2020, Wharton defied the odds during the COVID-19 pandemic and caught on with Kansas City when many others failed to do so. He has fought and earned every ounce of this contract, appearing in 72 regular season games across five seasons. 

Wharton worked his way up to a starting role in 2024, starting 10 of 17 games during the most productive season of his NFL career. He recorded 29 combined tackles, seven for loss, 7.5 sacks, two batted passes, and a forced fumble in 2024. The shame of the new contract is that Kansas City could not be the team to reward him.

The Panthers were reportedly among the more aggressive teams in pursuing former Philadelphia Eagles DT Milton Williams. However, they lost a bidding war with the New England Patriots, who gave Williams a four-year $104M contract. Carolina then pivoted to Wharton with a deal that will almost certainly benefit the Chiefs in the form of 2026 NFL compensatory picks. The contract alone should earn a fourth-round selection, with playtime and accolades from the 2025 NFL season possibly boosting it to third-round territory. It'll hurt to say goodbye to homegrown talent like Turk, but that compensatory pick will help offset the loss.