Pass-rusher D.J. Wonnum plans to sign a two-year contract with the Carolina Panthers, a source told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler on Thursday.
The Minnesota Vikings‘ fourth-round pick in 2020, Wonnum spent the majority of two seasons — 2021 and 2023 — as a full-time starter. He registered eight sacks in each of those seasons and seemed destined for more in 2023 until a torn quadriceps ended his season in Week 16.
Wonnum had opened training camp expected to play behind starting outside linebackers Danielle Hunter and Marcus Davenport, but a series of ankle injuries limited Davenport to four games. In the process, Wonnum showed that he could be an effective pass rusher in both a 4-3 and 3-4 scheme.
Last season, he posted two sacks in a 24-10 victory over the Green Bay Packers. In an earlier 21-13 victory over the Panthers, Wonnum recorded one sack, knocked down a pass and returned a fumble 51 yards for a touchdown.
In 62 games, including 31 starts, Wonnum has 23 sacks, 24 tackles behind the line of scrimmage and 49 quarterback hits.
ESPN’s Kevin Seifert contributed to this report.