Claudin Cherelus: Everything you need to know

Cherelus and the Panthers agreed to terms on a contract Friday. The 27-year-old has appeared in 27 regular-season games (six starts) for the Panthers over the last two seasons, recording 60 total tackles and one pass defensed. Following his new deal with Carolina, Cherelus is expected to operate as one of the team's top reserve inside linebackers during the 2026 season.

Cherelus posted 32 tackles (14 solo) and a pass defended across 14 regular-season games during the 2025 campaign. Cherelus racked up a career-high 32 tackles despite missing three games due to injuries. The 26-year-old was most productive toward the end of the season after taking over as one of the Panthers' starting inside linebackers in December following Trevin Wallace's placement on injured reserve with a shoulder injury. Cherelus is now set to become a free agent this offseason.

Cherelus (calf/ankle) was a full participant in Tuesday's walkthrough practice, Darin Gantt of the Panthers' official site reports. Cherelus was unable to play Week 18, but he appears fully on track for Saturday's wild-card round matchup against the Rams. Across 14 regular-season appearances in 2025, Cherelus tallied a career-high 32 tackles (14 solo) and one pass defensed.