Harris entered the league with excessive expectations as a first-round decide. His three-year Dolphins stint didn’t see him grow to be an every-down starter, nonetheless. Whereas dealing with a rotational function, he totaled 3.5 sacks in Miami earlier than flashing extra potential throughout a three-sack 2020 marketing campaign with the Falcons. Harris signed a one-year cope with the Lions within the subsequent offseason, setting himself up for his best yr.
The Missouri alum began 14 of 17 video games throughout his debut Detroit marketing campaign, totaling 7.5 sacks and 19 pressures. Harris labored underneath Todd Wash that yr, who’s now the Panthers’ line of defense coach. Harris will hope to ship one other robust yr of manufacturing upon reuniting with him. The 29-year-old performed out a two-year Lions pact in 2022 and ’23, a stretch wherein he was restricted to 19 video games and a couple of.5 sacks.
The missed time and drop-off in manufacturing helped clarify how Harris remained a free agent all through the offseason and into September. By taking a deal in Week 2, his base wage won’t be assured. Nonetheless, this Panthers pact – which is able to probably be a low-cost, one-year dedication – will give him the chance to rebuild his inventory whereas offering Carolina with a veteran contributor within the cross rush division.
The Panthers positioned each D.J. Wonnum and Amare Barno on the reserve/PUP checklist forward of roster cutdowns, that means these edge rushers won’t be obtainable till at the very least Week 5. Carolina moved on from K’Lavon Chaisson
earlier than the season opener, leaving the staff notably skinny on the outdoors linebacker spot. Throughout their blowout loss on Sunday, the Panthers registered just one sack. If he can regain his earlier kind, Harris could possibly assist in that regard for the rest of the marketing campaign.
