Do the Carolina Panthers have room for a future Pro Football Hall of Famer?
Team reporter Darin Gantt addressed that particular prospect this week, in his latest edition of Ask The Old Guy. The old guy was asked about another (relatively) old guy in linebacker Bobby Wagner, who has remained a free agent throughout the offseason and into the start of training camp.
While Gantt does give the 10-time Pro Bowler and six-time first-team All-Pro props for still playing at a high level, he believes the fit between the Panthers and Wagner simply isn’t there:
Mostly, I’d say he’s just a two-down player at this point in his career, and there’s not a situation where you’d take Devin Lloyd off the field to play him. But seriously, I have all the respect in the world for the 36-year-old Wagner, but the Panthers have made a point to get younger rather than older, with just five guys on the roster in their 30s. Well, actually, four in their 30s and also JJ Jansen.
Wagner seems like a sensible connection to Carolina, at least on its face.
For one, the defense could use an upgrade at the starting spot next to Lloyd. Third-year ‘backer Trevin Wallace—who has struggled against the run, in coverage and with his health—is projected to fill that role in 2026.
Plus, Wagner does have ties to two pretty important guys in the organization—including Panthers general manager Dan Morgan, who was a part of the Seattle Seahawks front office that drafted him back in 2012. Head coach Dave Canales, additionally, did share a sideline with Wagner for 10 seasons there.
But, as Gantt notes, the timelines don’t seem to match up.
To Wagner’s credit, he started in all 17 games for the Washington Commanders in 2025—posting 162 combined tackles, 4.5 sacks and two interceptions. And while that’s a ridiculous amount of production, let alone for a player of his age, the under-the-hood numbers might not add up in the current equation for Carolina.
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers team reporter addresses possibility of signing future Hall of Famer
