The Carolina Panthers signed former Jacksonville Jaguars edge rusher K'Lavon Chaisson to a one-year, $5 million maximum deal on Friday, according to a source. The former first-round pick (20th overall) in 2020 by the Jacksonville Jaguars out of LSU will head to the NFC after tallying 73 tackles (48 solo), five sacks, 11 tackles for loss and 23 QB hits in 57 games (11 starts) in his four years with the Jaguars. The 24-year-old has not performed up to his draft status and hasn't started a game since 2021, so he's clearly well off the IDP fantasy radar. The Panthers will be hoping that a change of scenery for Chaisson will spark more production as he battles for a starting spot at linebacker in Carolina this summer.
With Jacksonville Jaguars edge rusher Josh Allen skipping organized team activities this offseason, linebacker K'Lavon Chaisson got a lot more work, and the coaching staff noticed a difference in the 2020 first-round pick. Defensive line coach Brentson Buckner and outside linebackers coach Bill Shuey said they expect Chaisson to be one of the most improved players on the team in 2023. "I look forward to him having a big year this year," Buckner said. The 23-year-old so far only has 60 tackles (39 solo), three sacks, seven tackles for loss, 15 QB hits and one pass defensed in 40 games (11 starts) in his three years with Jacksonville, which caused the Jags to decline his fifth-year option in March. A knee injury limited him to just nine games a season ago.
Jacksonville Jaguars pass-rusher K'Lavon Chaisson (knee) suffered a meniscus injury in the Week 5 loss to the Houston Texans, according to sources, and he is headed to Injured Reserve. The former first-round pick will now have to miss at least the next four games. With the 23-year-old out for the next month-plus, the Jaguars will ask De'Shaan Dixon to step up into a bigger role on the defensive line behind pass-rushers Josh Allen and Travon Walker. In four games played so far this year, Chaisson has just three tackles (two solo).
The Jacksonville Jaguars selected LSU linebacker K'Lavon Chaisson with the No. 20 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft on Thursday. Chaisson played his best towards the end of the year in his final season in college. He can rush the passer, drop back into coverage and can play against the run, so he considers himself extremely versatile heading to the next level. Chaisson can play in a 3-4 or 4-3, but he's at his best when he has his hand on the ground and is rushing the passer. He was the second-best pass rusher in this class behind Ohio State's defensive end Chase Young, who went second overall to Washington. With Yannick Ngakoue potentially being traded out of town, Chaisson could help replace him up front.
K'Lavon Chaisson
• DE
•
Panthers
