Aug 24, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Carolina Panthers defensive end Derrick Brown (95) enters the field before a pre-season game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Panthers DT Derrick Brown earns high honor from PFF

Originally posted on Carolina Panthers on SI
By Russell Baxter | Last updated Jun 1, 2025 10:37 AM ET

Amongst their many issues on the defensive side of the ball was the fact that no team in the league allowed more rushing yards in 2024 than the Carolina Panthers . Dave Canales’s team was singed for 179.8 yards per game on the ground. Coordinator Ejiro Evero’s unit gave up fewer than 100 yards rushing in just one game, while the Panthers saw their last six opponents run for at least 200 yards.

This offseason, Panthers’ general manager Dan Morgan addressed this major shortcoming in a big way. In free agency, he signed Tershawn Wharton and Bobby Brown III away from the Chiefs and Rams, respectively. He used a fifth-round pick on University of Florida defensive tackle Cam Jackson. These additions should help in a big way, as should the return of one of the league’s top defensive tackles.

Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus ranked the league’s top interior defenders entering the 2025 season, and only six players were listed ahead of Panthers’ defensive tackle Derrick Brown. What makes that impressive when it comes to the five-year veteran and 2023 Pro Bowl selection was the fact that he missed the final 16 games of 2024.

“Brown played just 60 snaps last season,” explained Sikkema, “suffering a meniscus injury in Week 1. But he is still one of the most talented interior defenders in the league, evidenced by his elite 90.1 PFF overall grade in 2023.”

There are some pretty impressive names ahead of Brown when it comes to Sikkema’s rankings. Kansas City’s Chris Jones tops the list, followed by Dexter Lawrence (Giants), Cam Heyward (Steelers), Quinnen Williams (Jets), Jalen Carter (Eagles), and Leonard Williams (Seahawks). Brown was at the team’s OTAs last week as he continues on the comeback trail.

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

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