March 12, 2025, is when the new league year officially begins. This is also the time when free agency opens up. Teams can now be in contact with free agents and sign players.
The Carolina Panthers have informed veteran Shaq Thompson that they will not re-sign him this offseason. Thompson will be a free agent heading into the 2025 season. Who will sign the 30-year-old?
Shaq Thompson will be a free agent heading into 2025
A significant development for one of the faces of the #Panthers defense. Shaq Thompson will be a free agent. https://t.co/CbdphXgU2z
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 24, 2025
In the 2015 NFL draft, Shaw Thompson was the 25th pick by the Panthers out of Washington. Thompson has played in 123 games over 10 seasons and has made 112 starts. Each of his last two years with Carolina has ended early due to injury. Before 2023, Thompson played at least 14 games in each of his first eight seasons.
Unfortunately, Thompson has played in just six games between 2023 and 2024 combined. In Week 2 of 2023, Thompson broke his ankle and missed their final 15 games. On top of that, he tore his Achilles in Week 4 of 2024 in a loss to the Bengals. The injuries have piled up over the last two seasons for the former first-round pick. After 10 seasons, the Panthers have informed Thompson they will not re-sign him this offseason.
For the first time in his professional career, Thompson has the chance to play for a team other than the Panthers. The 30-year-old is coming off back-to-back season-ending injuries. Thompson is no longer the player he once was but he can hold his own. In four starts last season, he finished the year with 35 combined tackles, two tackles for loss, and one QB hit. The veteran’s minimum for any player with 7+ years of NFL experience is $1.2 million. That’s likely the contract Thompson will be offered coming off two major injuries. We’ll see where he ends up for the 2025 season.
