The Carolina Panthers and defensive tackle Derrick Brown have agreed to a four-year contract extension, the team announced Friday, with a source telling ESPN’s Adam Schefter that the $96 million deal includes $63.165 million guaranteed.
The $24 million per year average on Brown’s extension is the fourth highest in the NFL for a defensive tackle. It trails only the Chiefs‘ Chris Jones, Raiders‘ Christian Wilkins and Ravens‘ Justin Madubuike, who all signed new contracts as free agents during the offseason.
Coming off a 2022 season in which he set a Panthers record for tackles by a lineman with 67, Brown took his game to another level last season after Carolina switched to a 3-4 defensive scheme under coordinator Ejiro Evero.
Brown posted a defensive lineman-record 103 tackles and led the NFL with a 47% run stop win rate, according to ESPN Analytics/NFL Next Gen. The 6-foot-5, 320-pound Brown rarely came off the field, playing in 89% of the Panthers’ snaps, and he was named a Pro Bowler for the first time.
The No. 7 overall pick in 2020, Brown has 245 tackles and eight sacks during his four-year career in Carolina.
Brown, 25, had one year left on his deal and is now tied to Carolina through the 2028 season.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Source: www.espn.com