7 Panthers have been in Carolina since 2019. Who they are, what they’ve been through
Rookie quarterback Bryce Young got his first dose of what the “business” side of the NFL looked like earlier this week — of becoming acquainted with 90-plus players over the summer only to say goodbye to many of them come roster deadline time.
“Everyone kept saying, ‘Half the team isn’t going to be here in a couple weeks,’ and I got it,” Young told reporters Wednesday. “But it’s just so weird when it happens.”
If you’re a longtime Carolina Panthers fan, you might be used to this sort of attrition.
According to the Panthers’ game notes, there are only seven players on the 53-man roster who have been in the Charlotte-based NFL franchise since 2019 — and only three who have been on the team since Carolina’s last playoff appearance in 2017.
Those seven players have seen three different head coaches — not including guys with the interim title — and 22 wins in the past four seasons combined.
Here’s a look at who those seven players are, how they arrived and why they might’ve stayed.
Brian Burns, OLB, drafted in 2019
Brian Burns was the 16th overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft and has become as much of a superstar as a pass rusher can be. The outside linebacker was the team’s only Pro Bowl selection last year and has the charisma to reinforce his stardom. Why has he stayed? The outside linebacker has made that answer quite clear this preseason — from expressing his love for Charlotte to showing up this preseason as negotiations about a contract extension go on in the background: “I feel like what we got building is bigger than that,” Burns said of his contract negotiations in training camp last month. “I feel like I’m a key piece to what we need to get done, so I need to be here.”
Ian Thomas, TE, drafted in 2018
Ian Thomas, one of the five tight ends in the position’s room as of Thursday afternoon, was drafted by the Panthers in the fourth round. He’s one of three draft picks from 2018 who have stuck around. Thomas has proven durable — playing in every game in each of his five seasons — and that included a 21-reception, 197-yard year in 2022.
Marquis Haynes, OLB, drafted in 2018
Marquis Haynes, another important part of the Panthers’ pass rush, was drafted in the fourth round of the 2018 draft. The Ole Miss product has gradually increased his production the longer he’s been in the league — which culminated in a five-sack, 29-tackle season in 2022 (both career high marks).
Donte Jackson, CB, drafted in 2018
The Panthers have invested a bunch in their defensive backfield recently — and that has brought a bunch of new faces. But one of the mainstays at corner is Donte Jackson, who signed a three-year $31.5 million in March 2022. He has 14 interceptions in his five-year career, including one he returned for a touchdown last season.
Taylor Moton, OT, drafted in 2017
Carolina’s offensive line is among the team’s most senior units. But Moton is the most veteran fixture as far as the Panthers are concerned. The former second-round draft pick was a key part of all the success the Christian McCaffrey-led backfield enjoyed, paving the way for 2,101 yards (4.3 yards a carry) and 15 touchdowns rushing in 2017. He signed a four-year deal in the summer of 2021.
Shaq Thompson, LB, drafted in 2015
If this story were phrased as a trivia question — which seven Carolina Panthers have been with the team since 2019? — Shaq Thompson would probably be your first response. The veteran linebacker has in some ways taken Burns and others under his wing, and his performance has mirrored the value he brings as a leader. In 2022 alone, he finished with a career-best 135 tackles.
JJ Jansen, LS, acquired from Green Bay in 2009
The only guy who has seen multiple turns-of-decades as a Panther is also the only guy on this list who was acquired via trade. JJ Jansen, Carolina’s reliable long snapper, is entering his 15th season in the organization.
This story was originally published September 1, 2023 at 6:30 AM with the headline "7 Panthers have been in Carolina since 2019. Who they are, what they’ve been through."
