Panthers’ signing of Robert Hunt named amongst free agency’s riskiest moves

Protection these days isn’t cheap, and that could come back to bite the Carolina Panthers.

Two weeks ago, the Panthers agreed to terms with right guard Robert Hunt. Those terms, like the offensive lineman himself, were quite weighty—with the sides coming to a five-year, $100 million pact.

Hunt’s new contract, per Spotrac, makes him the second-highest paid guard in the entire league—as he sits behind only Atlanta’s Chris Lindstrom in total value, average annual value and guaranteed money.

So that, according to The 33rd Team’s Ian Valentino, is what makes the agreement one of the five riskiest of free agency. He writes:

Hunt, 27, played in 11 games in 2023 but ranked as a below-average pass blocker and run blocker in ESPN’s win rate metrics. Now, the 6-foot-6, 330-pounder is the league’s second-highest-paid right guard.

Carolina has two second-round picks and the top selections in the third and fourth rounds. Could they have found a serviceable guard instead of splurging on Hunt? Maybe not, given the franchise’s woeful offensive talent fielded in 2023.

But Hunt’s deal will almost certainly be an albatross if he doesn’t rapidly improve.

Unlike ESPN’s metrics, Hunt showed out rather favorably by Pro Football Focus’ standards. In an injury-shortened 2023 campaign, he earned career-highs in offensive and pass-blocking grades (77.1 and 74.5) along with his second-highest run-blocking mark (75.9).

So perhaps value, of multiple kinds, is just in the eye of the beholder.