Former Auburn Tigers Standout Labeled Make-or-Break for Carolina Panthers

Carolina Panthers defensive tackle and former Auburn Tigers standout Derrick Brown enters 2025 with question marks. After a stellar 2023 season, where he set the record for most tackles by a defensive lineman in a season with 103, everyone imagined that the Pro Bowler would keep motoring along. However, fate did not shine in Brown's favor in 2024.

Just five months and two days after signing a four-year, $96 million extension to stay with Carolina, he tore his meniscus against the New Orleans Saints. The season, and probably any hopes for a solid defensive showing from the Panthers, vanished. 

The team finished at 5-12 and was left wondering what the next season would look like. With training camp still a month away, Pro Football Focus (PFF) named the former Auburn All-American a make-or-break player for the Carolina Panthers. 

"Carolina’s defense was futile last season in many facets, but the unit played at a historically poor level against the run,” wrote Dalton Wasserman on PFF. “Part of that stemmed from star defensive tackle Derrick Brown suffering a season-ending injury in Week 1.

“Brown placed second among all interior defenders in 2023 with an elite 90.0 PFF run-defense grade. His presence in the middle makes the entire unit better. The Panthers acquired several pieces on the defensive line to improve their run defense, but Brown’s return to his 2023 form would make the biggest impact."

First and foremost, Brown serves as a run stopper. The pass rush ability remains a bonus, but not the reason his paycheck contains so many numbers. However, in order for him to compete, the lineman needs help all around, so double and triple teams will not form to nullify his impact. In the offseason, Carolina signed pluggers Tershawn Wharton (Kansas City) and Bobby Brown (Minnesota).

Meanwhile, the team heavily invested in the edge rush to allow Brown to thrive. The Panthers drafted Nic Scourton (Texas A&M) and Princely Umanmielen (Ole Miss) to rotate with free agent signing Patrick Jones II (Minnesota). 

For the Panthers to succeed this season, their best defender must return to his pre-injury form. Brown's dominance, combined with the boundary burst and speed, can make the Panthers a force in the wide-open NFC South. 

However, can he reclaim his unofficial title as best run-stopping lineman in the NFL, or will he need the entire season to return to 100%? Either way, his fortunes and the Panthers’ fortunes could be closely tied together, making him truly a make-or-break player for Carolina.