You could know Carolina Panthers linebacker Frankie Luvu as “No. 49,” “Luvuuuuuuuu,” or that missile from the center of the protection that at all times appears to make performs. However to his teammates, he’s merely “Uce.”
A Samoan time period of endearment, “Uce” is used to deal with an individual one regards as a brother—from its unique type, “uso.” And it’s clear, from over the previous 11 months, that Luvu has greater than earned that distinction—not solely as a person amongst males, however as a participant working in the direction of the widespread aim.
On Thursday, the Panthers introduced a two-year extension for the Tafuna native. Luvu returned for a deal price $9 million—a pact that may pay out $5 million in 2022 together with a $3 million signing bonus.
This’ll, after all, be a considerable step up in take for Luvu. Final yr’s contract, penned out of free company following three seasons with the New York Jets, was price a fourth of this new settlement by way of annual worth.
It’ll additionally imply a considerable step up in duties for Luvu, who was used primarily as a rotational piece on protection in 2021. His fourth skilled marketing campaign noticed the undrafted Washington State Cougar chalk up 249 defensive snaps—accounting for slightly below 23 % of the unit’s presence.
However whereas a lot of his affect was felt out of his function as a nationally-recognized particular teamer, he did take advantage of out of that restricted burn as a backer. Luvu, in incomes the very best general grade from Professional Soccer Focus for any Panthers defender (84.8), registered 11 pressures over 71 pass-rushing makes an attempt for 1.5 sacks and 5 quarterback hits.
That output would additionally lead to an 87.9 pass-rushing grade, the second-highest amongst all gamers labeled as linebackers (not edge rushers) by PFF. And, though a mere pattern measurement, his stress fee of 15.5 % bested that of a number of the league’s premier outdoors linebackers in 2021.
The next information, with Luvu added in for context’s sake, consists of all gamers who’re extensively designated as outdoors backers and recorded no less than 10.0 sacks:
| Pressures | Makes an attempt | Success Price | |
| Micah Parsons | 67 | 307 | 21.8 |
| Frankie Luvu | 11 | 71 | 15.5 |
| Shaquil Barrett | 75 | 485 | 15.5 |
| T.J. Watt | 62 | 413 | 15.0 |
| Matthew Judon | 63 | 420 | 15.0 |
| Joey Bosa | 68 | 468 | 14.5 |
| Harold Landry III | 64 | 529 | 12.1 |
| Robert Quinn | 47 | 402 | 11.7 |
| Markus Golden | 44 | 386 | 11.4 |
| Haason Reddick | 44 | 438 | 10.0 |
| Chandler Jones | 47 | 480 | 9.8 |
If we need to be a bit extra relative, Luvu is just one of three linebackers to have been credited with double-digits pressures whereas taking part in no less than 25 % of their snaps through pass-rushing conditions. The opposite two are Parsons (after all) and Miami’s Sam Eguavoen.
Together with getting a ton of bang for his or her buck in that division, the Panthers ran Luvu by means of the gamut over the complete center of their protection. Not solely did he play from the skin, however the 25-year-old picked up reps because the Mike and the Will as properly.
Three of his best performances, in reality, got here in the one three outings the place he totaled no less than 30 defensive snaps. He displayed his versatile talent set—particularly versus the run—amassing 4 stops towards Minnesota in Week 6, three in Week 16 towards Tampa Bay and 7 in New Orleans the next Sunday.
And it’s that efficient sort of versatility that will come in useful for Carolina shifting ahead. With so many query marks surrounding their linebacking corp heading into free company, having Luvu within the bag serves as one heck of an insurance coverage coverage.
Will Reddick, the staff’s main sack artist, get a nicer deal elsewhere? Will the staff convey again Jermaine Carter Jr. after a disappointing season? And the place is the depth, which has been lacking since final yr, going to come back from?
If Reddick and/or Carter Jr., two of the unit’s starters from 2021, do go—Luvu can man the deserted stations. That would drive head coach Matt Rhule and defensive coordinator Phil Snow to get much more artistic—maybe transfer Shaq Thompson or security Jeremy Chinn to the very center—however Luvu locking in ought to show to be a clever funding.
Regardless of how all these issues will probably be resolved—the Panthers have themselves no less than one promising reply: Uce.