Derrick Brown return + FA upgrades need to greatly improve Carolina Panthers' front

This offseason, general manager Dan Morgan wasted little time addressing the team’s defensive line in free agency. They signed two-time Super Bowl champion Tershawn Wharton away from the Kansas City Chiefs, as well as 6’4”, 332-pound Bobby Brown III (Rams). The former’s forte is getting after opposing quarterbacks and comes off a season in which he totaled a career-best 6.5 sacks. Brown was Pro Football Focus’ 47th-ranked interior defender in 2024, two spots ahead of Wharton, and comes off a season in which he logged personal bests in games played (17) and tackles (44).

Both of these players bring big-game experience to a team that hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2017. Wharton played in a total of 13 postseason contests with Andy Reid’s team. Brown has played in six playoff games and was a rookie on the Rams’ Super Bowl LVI title team. The latter has some familiarity with Evero, who was a member of Sean McVay’s coaching staff in 2021. Rookie Cam Jackson could be the wild card here. Morgan used a fifth-round pick in April the secure the services of the 6’6”, 328-pound prospect from the University of Florida.

NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein had this pre-draft scouting report on the former Gator. “Massive nose tackle whose lack of productivity belies his potential to imprint on NFL games as a run defender. Jackson is a complete non-factor as a rusher, so his spot on a draft board will be relative to a team’s willingness to take a two-down player in need of polish. He’s long and plays with extremely heavy hands and an ability to overwhelm single blockers at times.

"When he’s allowed to swap paint and focus on smaller areas of containment, he’s a tough out. He gets knocked off his spot more than he should, but better block take-on and technique should create better consistency. Jackson has freakish size and is a more enticing prospect when tape flashes are prioritized in the evaluation process.” All told, Jackson sounds like a raw talent who could be a factor with some good coaching.

Of course, a return to standout form by five-year Pro Derrick Brown is crucial to the success of Evero’s defensive front. The seventh overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft missed just one game in his first four seasons, but that changed in 2024 when he went down with a knee injury in Week 1 at New Orleans and was lost for the remainder of the season. In 2023, he logged an impressive 103 tackles, a pair of sacks, and knocked down six passes. When healthy, he’s one of the best inside defenders in the league, and the Panthers need him at his best if this unit is to make a dramatic turnaround from the disaster that was 2024.

Finally, it will be interesting to see where nine-year pro A’Shawn Robinson fits in this upcoming season. He tied for the team lead with 5.5 sacks this past season, but disappointed as a run defender. All told, there’s a reason to be somewhat optimistic about the Panthers’ defensive front, especially if Brown recaptures his star form. It’s safe to say that opponents won’t waste time any time in 2025 testing a defense that allowed 200-plus yards on the ground in each of its final six games this past season.