Panthers will not re-sign LB Shaq Thompson

Longtime Panthers linebacker Shaq Thompson will not be back with the organization in 2025.

Carolina announced on Monday that Thompson will not be re-signed and will become a free agent for the first time in his career.

“We appreciate Shaq’s leadership and dedication over the past 10 seasons,” Panthers General Manager Dan Morgan said in a statement. “Always a source of passion and enthusiasm, he was committed to this organization on and off the field, poured into his teammates, and strived to bring out the best in them. We wish Shaq the best as he moves forward with his career.”

Thompson, 30, was Carolina’s No. 25 overall pick in the 2015 draft. Thompson helped the club reach Super Bowl 50 as a rookie and had been a mainstay on the team’s defense.

But he’s been able to play just six games over the last two seasons due to injury. He suffered a broken fibula in 2023 and a torn Achilles in 2024.

Over 10 seasons, Thompson appeared in 123 games with 112 starts for Carolina, recording 12.0 sacks, 54 tackles for loss, 32 quarterback hits, and three interceptions.