Panthers to sign veteran DT D.J. Wonnum on a two-year deal

The Vikings have already lost Danielle Hunter in free agency, and his edge partner will depart Minnesota as well. D.J. Wonnum has a two-year deal in place with the Panthers, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports.

Wonnum’s two-year deal with Carolina will be worth $12.5M, according to Sheena Quick of 1340 Fox Sports.

The former fourth-round pick spent his entire career in Minnesota. His role fluctuated through his four years with the organization, with the edge rusher alternating between part-time player and full-time player. 

The 2023 campaign represented the latter, as Wonnum started 14 of his 15 appearances while appearing in more than 80 percent of his team’s defensive snaps.

In each of his two seasons as a starter (including 2023), Wonnum compiled eight sacks. That performance didn’t earn him the best spot on Pro Football Focus’ positional rankings in 2023. The 26-year-old ended up ranking only 74th among 112 qualifying edge defenders, although the pass-rusher did earn a surprisingly strong grade for his run defense.

The Panthers have been hunting for some depth to replace Pro Bowl defender Brian Burns, was was traded to the Giants earlier this week. The team hosted Chase Young earlier Thursday, and they’re set to meet with Jadeveon Clowney. Wonnum will be part of the equation when it comes to Burns’ replacement, but he surely won’t be the only answer.

With Hunter and Wonnum out of the picture, the Vikings have completely revamped their pass-rushing corps. Andrew Van Ginkel, Jonathan Greenard, and Blake Cashman are among the recent acquisitions who should get looks on the edge in 2023.