Nov 24, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers defensive end Jonathan Harris (92) and linebacker D.J. Wonnum (98) on the field in the first quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

NFL.com points to Carolina Panthers vet as being in danger of losing starting job

Originally posted on Carolina Panthers on SI
By Tim Weaver | Last updated Jul 25, 2025 4:00 PM ET

There's no arguing the point. Regardless of the circumstances and the context, the Carolina Panthers had an atrocious defense last season. However, it is still important to keep in mind exactly how they became the worst scoring defense in league history. Specifically, two key injuries up front helped set the stage for their failures.

First, the loss of star defensive tackle Derrick Brown turned a bad run-defense unit into a terrible one. Then, the absence of edge rusher DJ Wonnum shut down any chance they had of fielding a decent pass rush until he finally joined the lineup in Week 10.

Wonnum was impressive down the stretch, but a couple of big new additions to the roster may put his status as a projected starter in jeopardy. According to Eric Edholm at NFL.com, Wonnum could lose his starting spot to either Nic Scourton or Princely Umanmielen.

NFL.com on D.J. Wonnum demotion watch

"To be fair to Wonnum, he returned from missing nine games with a quadriceps injury to give the defense a little boost. But hardly enough to ensure his starting job in 2025. Wonnum also dealt with a knee injury down the stretch, and he missed some time with a back issue this offseason. Wonnum had some moments in Minnesota previously, and he might not be out of the picture in Carolina, but the more the young prospects show, the more chances they’ll likely get."

It bares mentioning that Wonnum missed most of the season due to a series of harrowing medical mishaps - and he still managed to end the year with four sacks, six QB hits and four tackles for a loss.

The Panthers need all the pass-rushing firepower they can get - especially after the unforced error that was releasing Jadeveon Clowney. However, that doesn't mean they need to prioritize one pass rusher over any other.

Head coach Dave Canales should consider these next six weeks as an open competition for both starting outside linebacker spots. Whether it's Patrick Jones II and D.J. Wonnum or Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen, or some combination of both what really matters is that he's putting the best defenders on the field that he possibly can - regardless of draft or contract status.

This article first appeared on Carolina Panthers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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