It's been nearly 10 years since the Carolina Panthers made Shaq Thompson their first-round draft selection. He won't see an 11th season in Charlotte.
The Panthers informed the veteran linebacker they intend to move in a different direction during the offseason, allowing Thompson to enter free agency without resistance.
"We appreciate Shaq's leadership and dedication over the past 10 seasons," president of football operations/general manager Dan Morgan in statement on Monday. "Always a source of passion and enthusiasm, he was committed to this organization on and off the field, poured into his teammates, and strived to bring out the best in them. We wish Shaq the best as he moves forward with his career."
It may seem to some as if Thompson was just drafted yesterday. The Panthers spent the 25th overall pick of the 2015 draft on the Washington product, inserting him into a linebacking corps that included two Panthers legends in Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis.
Those Panthers finished 15-1 and reached Super Bowl 50, where they lost to the Denver Broncos in Peyton Manning's swan song. It was quite an introduction to the 国产外流网for Thompson, and also represented the best season Carolina would enjoy over the next decade. The Panthers have made one playoff appearance since then (2017), have cycled through two head coaches (plus interim coaches) and are just now appearing to get back on track toward a brighter future.
Unfortunately, Thompson won't be around to see the results. After two injury-riddled seasons -- he played in a total of six contests over the last two campaigns -- Carolina is looking to get younger at the position.
Though he never garnered any postseason honors, Thompson made his mark in the Panthers' all-time record books, racking up 752 tackles in his 10 seasons spent in Carolina, good for fourth place in team history. As indicated by Morgan's statement, he also established a reputation as a steady leader on a team that certainly needed one during some dark times.
As he approaches his 31st birthday, Thompson will test the market, perhaps embarking on a journey that mirrors the career of another linebacker of his age (and a former teammate in Carolina): Deion Jones. It will be an interesting offseason for the position, which will see a number of notable names enter free agency.
Thompson will take his first steps toward his next destination when the new league year begins March 12.
