CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The 2023-24 season was one to forget for Panthers fans, but a record-setting season earned defensive tackle Derrick Brown a spot in the Pro Bowl, the NFL announced Friday.
Brown, who was originally voted as the first alternate at defensive tackle for the NFC, will replace Rams star Aaron Donald, who will miss the game due to injury. Brown set an NFL record for tackles by a defensive lineman, racking up 103 over the course of the season, breaking Christian Wilkins' previous record of 98.
Brown's tackle total nearly doubled the franchise record of 67, which was set by Mike Rucker in 2022.
The former first-round pick has good timing as he enters the final year of his rookie contract. Brown will have a guaranteed salary of $11.6 million for the 2024 season. If he gets through the season without an extension, he will become a free agent before 2025.
Brown has been a star on the field and off since arriving in Carolina, and he was recognized as the team's Walter Payton Man of the Year Ward nominee in 2022.
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