Grading the Move: Bruce Irvin fills an immediate pass rush vacancy for the Panthers

By Lindsay Jones Mar 19, 2019 1
The Carolina Panthers have landed a new starting pass rusher in the second wave of free agency.

Bruce Irvin, the former Oakland Raider and Seattle Seahawk who most recently played for the Atlanta Falcons, signed a one-year deal on Tuesday.

Why they made the move:

With the retirement of Julius Peppers, the Panthers had an immediate vacancy at defensive end. Irvin is a more natural outside linebacker, but he’ll be able to line up as an end in the Panthers’ base defense, which should give Carolina’s defense some flexibility. With a draft loaded with defensive line talent, adding Irvin now gives the Panthers an immediate plan while they have the potential to find their long-term pass rusher in the draft.

What this means for the market:

We’ve reached the point in free agency where veterans are largely going to be settling for one year deals, like Irvin did. But when it comes to pass rushers, there are a couple of interesting names still...