The days of having the league's most dominant linebacking corps are long gone for the Carolina Panthers. Luke Kuechly, Thomas Davis Sr., Jon Beason, and Shaq Thompson are either playing elsewhere or enjoying retirement. And the options currently available couldn't lace their cleats.
This shouldn't go unnoticed by general manager Dan Morgan. He was a dominant former linebacker himself, making the College Football Hall of Fame and earning Pro Bowl honors during his seven seasons as a player in Carolina.
If he's the shrewd talent evaluator many believe, he knows more is needed. Fans have been clamoring for a more productive figure to go alongside or replace Christian Rozeboom and Trevin Wallace. They got their wish, but the Panthers' latest move to solve this glaring flaw raised far more questions than answers.
Carolina Panthers reportedly claimed Maema Njongmeta from the Bengals' practice squad
According to Charlie Clifford from NBC 5 Cincinnati, the Panthers have claimed Maema Njongmeta off the Cincinnati Bengals' practice squad. The undrafted free agent out of Wisconsin made the AFC North club's roster last season, playing 30 defensive snaps. Despite this added experience, he didn't do enough to make the 53-man roster this time around.
Bengals LB Maema Njongmeta has been claimed off the practice squad by the Panthers per source
— Charlie Clifford (@char_cliff) September 15, 2025
Njongmeta has some functional athleticism to call upon. He played a lot on special teams last season, which is something the Panthers could put to good use. But the fact that he didn't make the roster on one of the league's most porous defenses means the jury is still out on this transaction.
What this means for Rozeboom and Wallace is anyone's guess. It doesn't look like Njongmeta is capable of unseating them from starting roles. Ejiro Evero still has faith in the duo, but the defensive coordinator shouldn't be afraid to make the changes needed with his own job status hanging in the balance.
This is a gamble. The Panthers didn't react when Josey Jewell's health concerns led to his eventual release. They were confident in the options available. Still, it's hard to look at Rozeboom or Wallace's contribution over the first two games with any great encouragement.
Njongmeta's arrival raises the alarm bells. It might take him a couple of weeks to settle in, but Morgan clearly sees something in the player that could potentially be molded into something more.
Time will tell on that.
The Panthers cannot afford to have any weak links at 0-2 and staring down the barrel of yet another losing campaign. The addition of Njongmeta might come to nothing, but it places some extra urgency on those with the lion's share of responsibilities right now.
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