CHARLOTTE – The Panthers have traded defensive end Kony Ealy to the Patriots while swapping draft picks with the Super Bowl champions.
Carolina traded Ealy and their third-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft (72nd overall) in exchange for the Patriots' second-round pick (64th overall).
The rookie contract of Ealy, the Panthers' second-round draft choice in the 2014 draft, is set to expire at the conclusion of the 2017 season. Ealy had 14 sacks over his three regular seasons and tied a record with three sacks in Super Bowl 50 while becoming the first player in the game's history to have multiple sacks and an interception.