On Monday, the Carolina Panthers officially parted ways with Shaq Thompson—announcing that they will not seek to re-sign the 30-year-old inside linebacker.
Thompson, who has spent each of his 10 NFL seasons in Carolina, may not be easy to replace. Not only was he a well-respected team captain, but he was also playing the best ball of his career—at least prior to sustaining two season-ending injuries in both 2023 and 2024.
So, how can the Panthers successfully move on without the man who was their second-longest tenured player?
Here are 18 potential replacements, through four possible avenues, for Thompson: