Kansas City Chiefs bolster linebacker depth by picking up Jermaine Carter Jr.

The Kansas City Chiefs boosted their linebacker depth with the signing of former Carolina Panther, Jermaine Carter Jr.

Per ESPN NFL analyst Field Yates, the former Panther signed with the Chiefs following a visit with the team this week.

Carter is the second linebacker signed by the Chiefs this offseason after the team released starting linebacker Anthony Hitchens. Kansas City also signed linebacker Elijah Lee to a one-year contract on Mar. 17.

FanSided’s Matt Verderame reported the 27-year-old Carter signed a one-year deal worth $1.77 million.

A former Maryland Terrapin, Carter spent four years in Carolina. The team selected him 161st overall in the 2018 NFL Draft, and he was worth the investment. Carter’s role in the Panthers’ defense slowly increased, peaking in 2021. He started all 17 games for Carolina, racking up 88 tackles, three tackles for loss, and one pass defended.

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Carter brings another athletic player to the Chiefs’ linebacking corps, alongside Nick Bolton and Willie Gay. While Carter will likely not top the depth chart, his addition is important.

Long-time Chiefs linebackers Dorian O’Daniel and Ben Niemann both remain free agents, leaving a hole in both the defensive and special teams units. Between Hitchens and Niemann, both played nearly 1,200 defensive snaps in 2021. Carter is a solid replacement, looking to fill Niemann’s role for defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.

While Carter was not a highly-touted draft prospect in 2018, he steadily improved for Carolina. He made the most of his opportunity, logging 853 snaps for Carolina in 2021. There are some concerns about his pass-coverage skills, as he allowed a 104.3 passer rating. However, his round defense stands out on film.

He has an aggressive style similar to Bolton during his rookie year, and Carter’s three tackles for loss in 2021 is his career-high and would have been sixth-best on the 2021 Chiefs. Overall, he is a slight improvement from Niemann and has a noticeably higher ceiling. Carter brings needed depth and versatility to Kansas City.

Several Carolina coaches talked about his ability to play several spots on defense, something that will benefit the Chiefs in the long run. Kansas City’s linebacking play was noticeably worse without Gay in 2021, who missed five games and was limited due to injuries. Carter is not an ideal starter, but would

At the very least, special teams coordinator Dave Toub has another experienced special teams player to replace O’Daniel. O’Daniel was noticeably absent from the defensive unit since his rookie season but stayed in Kansas City with his special teams’ prowess.

Neimann appeared in 62 games in four years for Kansas City but was a common problem at the defense’s second level. Fans will not miss the former undrafted player, especially as Carter looks to improve the linebacking corps. Carter could enter 2022 as