102 notable free agents who have ties to the Panthers' coaching staff

Oftentimes, the key to figuring out a fit in the NFL lies in a player’s past.

Free agency, or at least the legal tampering period, officially begins on Monday. And as we get closer to the frenzy, let’s prepare you with some possible matches for the Carolina Panthers, shall we?

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So since the NFL can be all about who you know, here are 102 notable free agents who have previously (or even very recently) played under a member of the Panthers’ staff . . .

*Coaches referenced include: Head coach Dave Canales, offensive coordinator Brad Idzik, associate head coach/offensive specialist Darrell Bevell, running backs coach Bernie Parmalee, wide receivers coach Rob Moore, tight ends coach Pat McPherson, offensive line coach Joe Gilbert, defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, defensive passing game coordinator Jonathan Cooley, defensive line coach Todd Wash, linebackers coach Peter Hansen, outside linebackers coach AC Carter, secondary coach Renaldo Hill, special teams coordinator Tracy Smith

Quarterbacks

  • Teddy Bridgewater: Bevell (MIA, 2022)

  • Geno Smith: Canales (SEA, 2019 to 2022)

  • Russell Wilson: Canales (SEA, 2012 to 2021), Bevell (2012 to 2017)

  • Zach Wilson: Bevell (MIA, 2025)

  • John Wolford: Canales (TB, 2023)

Running backs

  • Salvon Ahmed: Bevell (MIA, 2022 to 2023)

  • Rico Dowdle: Canales (CAR, 2025), Idzik (CAR, 2025), Parmalee (CAR, 2025)

  • Chase Edmonds: Canales (TB, 2023)

  • Travis Etienne: Bevell (JAX, 2021), Parmalee (JAX, 2021 to 2023)

  • Travis Homer: Canales (SEA, 2019 to 2022)

  • D’Ernest Johnson: Parmalee (JAX, 2023)

  • Raheem Mostert: Bevell (MIA, 2022 to 2024)

  • Dare Ogunbowale: Parmalee (JAX, 2021)

  • Miles Sanders: Canales (CAR, 2024), Idzik (CAR, 2024), Parmalee (2024)

  • Kenneth Walker III: Canales (SEA, 2022)

  • Rachaad White: Canales (TB, 2023)

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Wide receivers

  • Braxton Berrios: Bevell (MIA, 2023 to 2024)

  • Dee Eskridge: Canales (SEA, 2021 to 2022), Bevell (MIA, 2024 to 2025)

  • Mike Evans: Canales (TB, 2023), Idzik (TB, 2023)

  • Tyreek Hill: Bevell (MIA, 2022 to 2025)

  • DeAndre Hopkins: Moore (TEN, 2023)

  • Tyler Lockett: Canales (SEA, 2015 to 2022), Bevell (2015 to 2017)

  • David Moore: Canales (SEA, 2017 to 2020 + TB, 2023 + CAR, 2024 to 2025), Idzik (TB, 2023 + CAR, 2024 to 2025), Bevell (SEA, 2017), Moore (CAR, 2024 to 2025)

  • Hunter Renfrow: Canales (CAR, 2025), Idzik (CAR, 2025), Moore (CAR, 2025)

  • Nick Westbrook-Ikhine: Moore (TEN, 2020 to 2023), Bevell (MIA, 2025)

  • Cedrick Wilson: Bevell (MIA, 2022 to 2023 and 2025)

Tight ends

  • Will Dissly: Canales (SEA, 2018 to 2022)

  • Greg Dulcich: Bevell (MIA, 2025)

  • Noah Fant: McPherson (SEA, 2022 to 2023)

  • Feleipe Franks: Canales (CAR, 2024), Idzik (CAR, 2024), McPherson (CAR, 2024)

  • Ko Kieft: Canales (TB, 2023)

  • Cade Otton: Canales (TB, 2023)

  • Durham Smythe: Bevell (MIA, 2022 to 2024)

  • Ian Thomas: Canales (CAR, 2024), Idzik (CAR, 2024), McPherson (CAR, 2024)

  • Nick Vannett: Canales (SEA, 2016 to 2019), McPherson (2016 to 2019)

  • Darren Waller: Bevell (MIA, 2025)

Offensive linemen

  • Larry Borom: Bevell (MIA, 2025)

  • Daniel Brunskill: Bevell (MIA, 2025)

  • Yodney Cajuste: Bevell (MIA, 2025)

  • Brady Christensen: Canales (CAR, 2024 to 2025), Idzik (CAR, 2024 to 2025), Gilbert (CAR, 2024 to 2025)

  • Austin Corbett: Canales (CAR, 2024 to 2025), Idzik (CAR, 2024 to 2025), Gilbert (CAR, 2024 to 2025)

  • Jake Curhan: Canales (CAR, 2025), Idzik (CAR, 2025), Gilbert (CAR, 2025)

  • James Daniels: Bevell (MIA, 2025)

  • Liam Eichenberg: Bevell (MIA, 2022 to 2025)

  • George Fant: Canales (SEA, 2016 to 2019), Bevell (SEA, 2016 to 2017)

  • Germain Ifedi: Canales (SEA, 2016 to 2019), Bevell (SEA, 2017 + MIA, 2015)

  • Kendall Lamm: Bevell (MIA, 2022 to 2025)

  • Cade Mays: Canales (CAR, 2024 to 2025), Idzik (CAR, 2024 to 2025), Gilbert (CAR, 2024 to 2025)

  • Yosh Nijman: Canales (CAR, 2024 to 2025), Idzik (CAR, 2024 to 2025), Gilbert (CAR, 2024 to 2025)

  • Justin Skule: Canales (TB, 2023), Gilbert (TB, 2023)

  • Aaron Stinnie: Canales (TB, 2023), Gilbert (TB, 2019-2023)

Defensive linemen

  • Taven Bryan: Wash (JAX, 2018 to 2020)

  • Sheldon Day: Wash (JAX, 2016 to 2018)

  • Samson Ebukam: Evero (2017 to 2020)

  • John Franklin-Myers: Evero (LAR, 2018)

  • Da’Shawn Hand: Wash (DET, 2021)

  • Benito Jones: Wash (DET, 2022)

  • Sebastian Joseph-Day: Evero (LAR, 2018 to 2021)

  • Levi Onwuzurike: Wash (DET, 2021 to 2022)

  • Dawuane Smoot: Wash (JAX, 2017 to 2020)

  • Chris Wormley: Evero (CAR, 2023)

Outside linebackers

  • K’Lavon Chaisson: Evero (CAR, 2024), Wash (JAX, 2020)

  • Jadeveon Clowney: Canales (CAR, 2024), Evero (CAR, 2024)

  • Leonard Floyd: Evero (LAR, 2020-2021)

  • Trevis Gipson: Canales (CAR, 2025), Evero (CAR, 2025), Carter (CAR, 2025)

  • Yetur Gross-Matos: Evero (CAR, 2023)

  • Dre’Mont Jones: Evero (DEN, 2022)

  • Jacob Martin: Evero (DEN, 2022)

  • Von Miller: Evero (LAR, 2021)

  • D.J. Wonnum: Canales (CAR, 2024 to 2025), Evero (CAR, 2024 to 2025), Carter (CAR, 2025)

Inside linebackers

  • Krys Barnes: Canales (CAR, 2025), Evero (CAR, 2025), Hansen (CAR, 2025)

  • Deion Jones: Evero (CAR, 2023), Hansen (CAR, 2023)

  • Troy Reeder: Evero (LAR, 2019 to 2021)

  • Christian Rozeboom: Canales (CAR, 2025), Evero (CAR, 2025), Hansen (CAR, 2025)

  • Alex Singleton: Evero (DEN, 2022), Hansen (DEN, 2022)

  • Justin Strnad: Evero (DEN, 2022), Hansen (DEN, 2022)

  • Shaq Thompson: Canales (CAR, 2024), Evero (CAR, 2023 to 2024), Hansen (2023 to 2024)

Cornerbacks

  • Decobie Durant: Cooley (LAR, 2022)

  • Akayleb Evans: Canales (CAR, 2024 to 2025), Evero (CAR, 2024 to 2025), Hill (CAR, 2025)

  • Mike Hilton: Wash (JAX, 2016)

  • Derion Kendrick: Cooley (LAR, 2022)

  • Damarri Mathis: Evero (DEN, 2022 + CAR, 2025), Hill (CAR, 2025)

Safeties

  • D’Anthony Bell: Canales (CAR, 2025), Evero (LAR, 2019 to 2021 + CAR, 2025), Cooley (LAR, 2022), Hill (CAR, 2025)

  • P.J. Locke: Evero (DEN, 2022)

  • Lonnie Johnson Jr.: Canales (CAR, 2024), Evero (CAR, 2024)

  • Nick Scott: Canales (CAR, 2024 to 2025), Evero (CAR, 2024 to 2025), Hill (CAR, 2025)

  • Isaiah Simmons: Canales (CAR, 2025), Evero (CAR, 2025), Hill (CAR, 2025)

  • Andrew Wingard: Wash (JAX, 2019 to 2020)

  • Xavier Woods: Canales (CAR, 2024), Evero (CAR, 2023 to 2024), Cooley (2023)

Kickers

  • Eddy Piñeiro: Canales (CAR, 2024), Smith (CAR, 2024)

Punters

  • Johnny Hekker: Canales (CAR, 2024), Smith (CAR, 2024)

  • Sam Martin: Canales (CAR, 2024), Smith (CAR, 2024)

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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: NFL free agency: 102 free agents with ties to Panthers coaches

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