A day after making a trade to potentially add a big-time player at No. 1 overall, the Panthers made a signing to keep an impact player on defense.
Linebacker Shaq Thompson has agreed to terms on a reworked contract to remain with Carolina, the team announced Saturday. Thompson's new contract is for two years, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported, per sources.
Despite leading the team with a career-high 135 tackles in 2022, Thompson was a cut candidate heading into the offseason due to his $24.5 million hit against the cap and no guaranteed money remaining on his contract.
Instead, new defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero will retain an old stalwart on defense.
A first-round pick by the Panthers in the 2015 NFL Draft, Thompson took time to come into his own for Carolina, playing second fiddle to Luke Kuechly for much of his rookie contract. But he broke out as an off-ball threat in 2019, Kuechly's final year, when he contributed 109 tackles and totaled three sacks.
Thompson signed a four-year extension in December 2019 and backed it up with three more seasons of 100-plus tackles. In all, he has 709 career tackles, 12 sacks, four forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and three interceptions.
He'll have a chance to add to those numbers as a Panther thanks to his newly restructured contract.
