The Carolina Panthers have taken care of a few of their own free-agent defenders this week—including safety Juston Burris and cornerbacks Donte Jackson and Rashaan Melvin. Linebacker Jermaine Carter Jr., however, didn’t get the same treatment.
Instead, the 27-year-old is headed off to the Kansas City Chiefs.
We have signed LB Jermaine Carter. Welcome to the Chiefs!! pic.twitter.com/zezfkN42Tb
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) March 25, 2022
Drafted in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL draft—alongside fellow Maryland Terrapin DJ Moore—Carter Jr. has spent each of his four professional campaigns in Carolina. Over that time, he’s totaled 178 combined tackles, 0.5 sack, five quarterback hits and a pair of fumble recoveries.
Carter Jr. took the biggest step of his NFL tenure this past season, when he was anointed the defense’s starting middle linebacker following an eye-opening summer. The backer, in turn, started in each of the team’s 17 games in 2021, chalking 88 tackles in the process.
With the Panthers’ signings of Damien Wilson and Cory Littleton in the days prior, Carter Jr. was unlikely to return to the organization. He has, however, found himself quite an opportunity with an AFC powerhouse.
