We’re counting down the days until the Panthers kick off the 2024 season.
We’re officially 20 days away from the Carolina Panthers kicking off the 2024 NFL season and it’s time for our annual roster countdown to highlight the players on the Panthers’ roster. Today, we’re taking a closer look at No. 20 — safety Jordan Fuller.
The new free agent addition has the potential to become one of the more impactful new faces in Carolina this year. Unless something drastic happens this offseason, he will be starting at safety after signing a 1-year, $3.25 million contract. He’s currently listed as starting safety alongside Xavier Woods on the Panthers official depth chart
After a solid college career at Ohio State that culminated with First-Team All-Big 10 honors, Fuller was drafted in the sixth round of the 2020 draft by the Los Angeles Rams. Despite being a late-round pick he immediately won a starting position with the Rams and started all 28 of the games in which he played in his first two NFL seasons.
After registering 60 tackles and three interceptions as a rookie in 2020 he had a solid 2021 campaign with a team-leading 113 tackles in 16 games and one interception. Fuller’s 2022 campaign was limited to just three games but he bounced back in 2023 with 94 tackles, three interceptions, and eight passes defended.
In Fuller’s last two fully-healthy seasons – 2021 and 2023 – he put up 207 tackles, four interceptions, and 12 passes defended. He has familiarity with defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero after they spent two years together with the Rams. This is a player who can put up over 100 tackles and defend the pass.
Fuller is my favorite for this year’s “best free agent value” as his production should wildly outpace his paltry $3.25 million cap hit, a figure that represents just 1.3% of the Panthers total salary cap.
At 26 years old and playing on a 1-year contract, Jordan Fuller will have the opportunity – and the incentive – to put up a big year in Carolina.