The Carolina Panthers made a big move to sign linebacker Devin Lloyd this offseason and he's already worth it.
The Carolina Panthers got in the win column for the first time in the 2026 season, beating the Atlanta Falcons 34-3 in Week 2.
This was the first NFC South game of the year for the Panthers, and they continued their dominance against the Atlanta Falcons. It was truly a team effort on Sunday, as quarterback Bryce Young had a big day and the defense forced some turnovers.
Leading the way for that defense was linebacker Devin Lloyd. The free-agent signing this past offseason has been really good for the Panthers so far. After two weeks, Lloyd has been fantastic and he put his stamp on Sunday's game against the Falcons.
He made some history on Sunday, becoming the first linebacker in league history to record 8+ tackles, 2+ INTs, a TD, and a sack in the same game. The NFL officially recognized stats in 1982 so this stat goes back to that date. Lloyd was all over the place, leading Carolina's defense in the rout.
In the process, he earned a lot of praise from his head coach Dave Canales as well.
"I don't know if I've seen a better performance out of a linebacker in 17 years of coaching in the NFL," Canales replied. "It's attributed to his study, being in the right spots."
"And then of course, I didn't realize his hands were that good. The slant that he picked off there at the end was incredible and the run after catch on the first one. One of the most dominant linebacker performances I've seen."
That's some high praise.
It's clear that Lloyd has become the leader of this defense and will be a key piece moving forward on this defense. Him anchoring the middle and the Panthers getting a pass rush would be huge for the Panthers moving forward.
Lloyd signed a three-year deal worth $42 million and he's playing like a Pro Bowl linebacker again this season early on.
Carolina returns to the field on Sunday as they head to Cleveland to face off against the Browns in Week 3. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET.
