Jadeveon Clowney and then what? Panthers’ pass rusher situation in 2024 training camp

As the Carolina Panthers count down the days until their first full training camp in Charlotte, The Observer is spotlighting the team’s roster one position room at a time.

With just a few days before workouts begin, the outside linebacker group gets a turn under the microscope.

The big question: Can Jadeveon Clowney, others do enough to make up for loss of Brian Burns?

The Panthers traded two-time Pro Bowl pass rusher Brian Burns to the New York Giants in March for a package of draft picks — with this year’s 39th overall pick as the centerpiece. Burns and the Panthers had failed to reach a contract extension agreement, and with the pass rusher on the franchise tag, new general manager Dan Morgan eventually relented and dealt the 2019 first-round pick to the Meadowlands for an underwhelming return compared to offers made for Burns in previous years.

The Burns trade — and the subsequent departure of Frankie Luvu in free agency — left the Panthers with little proven talent at outside linebacker. So, Morgan brought in hometown hero, Jadeveon Clowney, on a two-year deal and added up-and-coming pass rusher, D.J. Wonnum, to the mix on another two-year pact. Morgan also took a flier on 2020 first-round pick K’Lavon Chaisson.

Clowney is coming off a 9.5 sack season with the Baltimore Ravens. While he has always been an elite run defender, Clowney hasn’t been a consistent sack producer in his career. The Panthers are hoping last season’s production wasn’t a mirage, and Clowney can collect nearly as many sacks as he did in 2023. Still, it will be difficult, as the Ravens’ defense has a plethora of standouts, and Carolina doesn’t have many outside of Jaycee Horn, Xavier Woods and Derrick Brown.

Wonnum — who was placed on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list on Friday — has improved quite a bit during his four years in the league. The former Minnesota Vikings pass rusher missed the offseason program following a quad surgery setback, but he is expected to eventually return to the field. The Panthers need Wonnum to be relatively productive this season because Clowney can’t do everything on his own.

Chaisson was a draft bust for the Jacksonville Jaguars, but the Panthers are hoping he can shine in a new surrounding. If he can’t, the Panthers can move on without much issue. They also need last year’s third-round pick, D.J. Johnson, to show some sort of development as a pass rusher.

The Panthers’ OLB depth chart

▪ The projected starters: Jadeveon Clowney and D.J. Wonnum — Clowney will lead the group for his hometown squad. The veteran is hopeful to rework his contract next offseason with another strong year under his belt, and he will get plenty of opportunities to rush the passer in Carolina. There’s a chance Clowney never leaves the field, as the rest of the group can’t match his pass rushing ability or his run-stopping prowess.

Wonnum and the Panthers are hoping his surgery recovery goes well. Wonnum has an excellent opportunity to be a full-time starter, and Carolina needs him to play well to have any semblance of a regular pass rush. Wonnum will start the summer on the PUP list, but the organization likely hopes to have him off the list well before Week 1.

▪ The competition: K’Lavon Chaisson, Amare Barno, D.J. Johnson, Eku Leota, Cam Gill, Luiji Vilain, Derrick McLendon and Kenny Dyson — This group is underwhelming to say the least.

Outside of Wonnum and Clowney, the pass rusher depth chart has 9.5 combined career sacks. Clowney matched that number alone last season in Baltimore.

Barno — who will also start the summer on the PUP list — Chaisson, and Vilain all profile as weak-side edge rushers with special teams ability. Gill, a Super Bowl champ with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, is a rotational option who will mainly work on special teams. Leota, McLendon and Dyson will all look to outwork their undrafted pedigrees and earn a spot on the 53-man roster.

And then there’s Johnson, who is remains a mystery in a lot of ways. He had a few glimpses of strong run-stopping reps as a rookie, but he is still a major work-in-progress as a pass rusher.

Player to watch in camp: D.J. Johnson

With a new front office in place, Johnson is probably no longer on scholarship. Luckily for him, though, the entire defensive staff is back, giving him a leg up with the playbook.

Johnson was a reach as a third-round pick last year, and it could be argued that his selection worked against him in a lot of ways. The Panthers had limited outside linebacker depth last year as well, and Johnson didn’t seem to be ready for a big role as a rookie, leading to criticism from skeptics who had already panned his pick in the draft.

But it’s a new year, and Johnson, who was late to learning the edge position in college, could get an opportunity to shine during training camp when the pads come on. Johnson and the Panthers would greatly benefit from a Year 2 jump in development and production.

Barring another veteran addition this summer, Johnson is competing with Barno, Chaisson, Leota and Gill to be the third pass rusher in the rotation.