After the Carolina Panthers signed D.J. Wonnum following the trade of Brian Burns, it’s evident that Wonnum does not want to be seen as Burns’ replacement. Wonnum is determined to be the best version of himself and is looking forward to showcasing his skills with the Panthers. His successful 2023 season with the Minnesota Vikings, where he excelled in various aspects of the game, indicates that he is ready to contribute to the Panthers in a big way.
In fact, he recorded the same number of sacks as Burns did last season. Although Wonnum had the advantage of playing alongside star pass rusher Danielle Hunter in Minnesota, he won’t have the same support with the Panthers. The 26-year-old played college football at the University of South Carolina and was drafted by the Vikings in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. In his rookie year, he had 24 tackles, three sacks, and a forced fumble in 14 games. The following season, Wonnum made significant progress with 47 tackles, eight sacks, and a forced fumble in all games. In 2022, he had 38 tackles and four sacks but bounced back nicely last season. We’ll soon find out how D.J. Wonnum performs in place of Burns in 2024.
