The Panthers are locking up one of their best players.
Carolina has agreed to a four-year extension with defensive tackle Derrick Brown, the team announced on Friday.
Multiple reports initially indicate Brown’s deal is worth $96 million with $63 million guaranteed.
Brown, who turns 26 this month, was the No. 7 overall pick in 2020. He has become a key piece in the middle of the Panthers’ defense, starting every game for the club over the past two seasons. He was on the field for 89 percent of Carolina’s defensive snaps in 2023, earning his first trip to the Pro Bowl by setting a new record for a defensive lineman with 103 total tackles. He also had seven tackles for loss, 15 quarterback hits, 2.0 sacks, six passes defensed, and an interception last season.
Brown was set to enter the final year of his rookie contract after the Panthers exercised his fifth-year option last spring. Despite the team’s regime change this offseason, Carolina has elected to keep Brown around long-term.
Through 66 career games, Brown has 28 tackles for loss, 48 quarterback hits, 8.0 sacks, 21 passes defensed, and two interceptions. Now, he’s one of the highest-paid defensive linemen in the league.
