Picking up the fifth-year option on Derrick Brown was far from a sure thing for the Carolina Panthers entering the 2022 campaign. If anything, that decision might’ve been leaning towards the wrong way for him.
But the 320-pound defensive tackle ended up tipping the scale in the other direction.
As announced by the team on Monday morning, the Panthers have triggered Year No. 5 for Brown. He will now be under team control through the 2024 season.
The University of Auburn product was selected by Carolina with the seventh overall pick of the 2020 draft. He was, in fact, the very first choice for the since demolished Matt Rhule regime.
Luckily for Brown, however, he’s not gone down with it—even after a pair of inconsistent years to begin his pro tenure.
Following his ups and down from 2020 and 2021, Brown became the anchoring force the franchise drafted him to be in 2022—posting a career-high (and franchise record for a defensive tackle) 67 combined tackles along with bests in passes defensed (seven) and quarterback hits (12).
Brown’s fifth-year option is projected to pay out at approximately $13.1 million in 2024.
