Top 10 Free Agent Signings In Panthers History

It's been a culture-changing offseason for the Carolina Panthers, saying goodbye to franchise quarterback Cam Newton, tight end Greg Olsen and linebacker Luke Kuechly among many other notable faces.

That left me wondering, who are the Top 10 offseason free-agent signings in team history? I ranked them 10-1 based on who I believed made the most impact. 

Had it not been for injuries, Davis could have been much higher on this list after putting together one of the best seasons by a running back in team history. 

Davis made an instant impact with the Panthers after signing in 2003 and rushed for a career-high 1,444 rushing yards and eight touchdowns.

He finished in the top three of MVP voting that season and helped guide Carolina to the Super Bowl. He led all rushers in the postseason that year with 315 yards.

Davis would deal with multiple injuries the following year and never surpassed 1,000 rushing yards again in his career. 

Proehl spent three seasons with the Panthers after signing with the team in his 13th season but proved he still had a good amount left in the tank. 

Proehl was a pivotal offensive weapon and locker room leader during the team's 2003 Super Bowl run and he is remembered for scoring a big touchdown late in that game.

Davis signed with Carolina after his first Pro Bowl season and he made his mark as one of the best cornerbacks in team history during his five seasons. 

Davis had five interceptions in each season he played with the Panthers, made the Pro Bowl and was named an All-Pro in 1996. 

Greene, now a Hall of Famer, was already past his prime when he signed with the Panthers in 1996, but it was the first of two stints he spent in Carolina during the latter part of his career. 

In his first season with the team, Greene had 14.5 sacks and 51 combined tackles and was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year. 

Greene had a contract dispute with the team following the year and played with the San Francisco 49ers in 1997 before re-signing with the Panthers in 1998. 

Greene once again was named the NFC Linebacker of the Year in 1998 and had 15 sacks. 

Beuerlein was the first pick in the 1995 Expansion Draft but was chosen by the Jacksonville Jaguars. A year later, he signed with Carolina but was only expected to be the backup quarterback to starter Kerry Collins. 

Beuerlein made almost a dozen starts during his first two seasons with the Panthers when Collins was injured but took over as the full-time starter in 1998.

Collins dealt with on and off the field issues and in Week 5 of the 1998 season, Beuerlein took over as the full-time starter.

In 1999, Beuerlein had a Pro Bowl year as he led the league passing yards with 4,436, and was second in passer rating (94.6) and touchdowns (36) behind MVP Kurt Warner. 

Bates originally was claimed off waivers by the Panthers in 1995 but ended up signing with the team a year later.

He played five seasons with the team and put together multiple special team records. 

Known for being a two-sport athlete in football and track, Bates served as the team's kick-returner and averaged a remarkable 30.2 yards per kick in 1996 en-route to an All-Pro selection and his first of five Pro Bowl selections with the team. 

Bates ranks first in team history with 223 kick returns, 5,986 kick return yards and five kick return touchdowns.

The Panthers signed Walls in 1996 after he had spent his first seven seasons with the 49ers and New Orleans Saints.

Carolina is where Walls finally broke out as a player and would leave his mark as one of the best players in team history as he was named into the team's Hall of Honor in 2019. 

Walls made the Pro Bowl five times in his seven seasons with the Panthers and was named an All-Pro four times. 

Walls totaled 3,902 receiving yards and 44 touchdowns with Carolina and ranks fourth and third in franchise history in those categories, respectively. 

The team's all-time leader in points scored went from being one of the Panthers' first free-agent signings to one of the most recognizable names in franchise history. 

Kasay arrived in Carolina during the team's inaugural season and would go on to score 1,482 points for the Panthers. 

Kasay was the team's starting kicker for 16 years but it wasn't always pretty.

Many remember his botched kickoff in Super Bowl XXXVIII that put the New England Patriots in good field position that eventually helped them win the game on a field goal. 

The "Keep Pounding" slogan for the Panthers exists because of Mills' inspirational pregame speech after he was diagnosed with intestinal cancer before a 2003 playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys.

The speech was when Mills served as Carolina's linebackers coach but he was also the first big free-agent signing in team history. 

After spending nine seasons with the Saints where he was named to four Pro Bowls, Mills signed with the Panthers before their inaugural season and was a key defensive anchor that helped the team make the NFC Championship in just it's second season. 

Mills became a key vocal leader in his three seasons with the team, starting every single game and making another Pro Bowl in 1996 at the age of 37. 

Mills retired following the 1997 season and died from cancer in 2005. 

Delhomme is easily the greatest free-agent signing in team history.

After five seasons with the New Orleans Saints where he saw limited playing time, Delhomme signed with Carolina in 2003 to develop behind Rodney Peete. 

However, Delhomme replaced Peete in the third quarter of the first game of the season down 17-0 and the rest is history.

Delhomme led the Panthers to an 11-5 record that year and went all the way to the Super Bowl before falling to the Patriots. 

Delhomme compiled a 49-30 record as the team's starting quarterback in six seasons and led Carolina to the playoffs three times. 

Delhomme ranks second in team history behind Cam Newton in quarterback starts (90), passing yards (19,258),  touchdowns (120) and completions (1,580).