CHARLOTTE, N.C. (News Release) – The Carolina Panthers have signed center Luke Fortner, linebacker Devin Lloyd, outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips and quarterback Kenny Pickett, the team announced on Thursday.
Fortner enters his fifth NFL season, spending three seasons with Jacksonville (2022-24) and one with New Orleans (2025) after being selected by the Jaguars in the third round (65th overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft. He has appeared in 68 games in his career with 44 starts at center. Last year in his lone season in New Orleans, Fortner appeared in all 17 games and started the final 10 games of the season.
Lloyd spent the first four years of his career with the Jacksonville Jaguars after being selected in the first round (27th overall) by the franchise in the 2022 NFL Draft out of Utah. In his four seasons in Jacksonville, Lloyd appeared in 63 games (61 starts), totaling 429 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, 26 passes defensed and nine interceptions. In 2025, he started all 15 games he played in and recorded 74 tackles, six tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks, a career-high five interceptions and seven passes defensed on his way to earning a Pro Bowl nod and second-team All-Pro accolades from the Associated Press.
Phillips comes to Carolina having spent the first five years of his career with Miami (2021-25) and Philadelphia (2025), appearing in 63 games (46 starts) and totaling 119 tackles, 32 tackles for loss, 28 sacks, 11 passes defensed and five fumble recoveries. He is one of 10 linebackers in the NFL to record at least seven tackles for loss and five sacks in four of the past five seasons. Last season, Phillips started a career-high 17 games, nine with Miami and eight with Philadelphia after a mid-season trade. He recorded over 50 tackles (53) for the second time in his career, while adding five sacks, seven tackles for loss and a career-high four passes defensed. Phillips was selected by the Dolphins in the first round (18th overall) of the 2021 NFL Draft out of Miami (FL).
Pickett, entering his fifth season in the league, was originally selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round (20th overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft out of Pitt and has spent time with the Pittsburgh Steelers (2022-23), Philadelphia Eagles (2024), Cleveland Browns (2025) and Las Vegas Raiders (2025). He has played in 36 career regular-season games with 27 starts, completing 499 of 800 passes (62.4 pct.) for 4,953 yards and 16 touchdowns with 16 interceptions.
For more information, visit Panthers.com.
