Improving the Panthers’ defense begins with Derrick Brown. But that’s not where it ends
Derrick Brown admitted that he got the chance to do things in 2024 that he “may not get to do for a while.”
As in:
▪ Picking up and dropping off his son and daughter at school.
▪ Going to birthday parties for his kids’ classmates.
“Being in here every single day with the training room staff, it’s been good for me,” Brown said on clean-out Monday, less than 24 hours after the Panthers wrapped up their 5-12 season with a win over the Falcons. He then joked: “Haven’t really had a mental break, though, with my kids.”
It’s fair to say Brown didn’t envision his 2024 season to go like this: one game, three tackles, and a season-ending meniscus tear to his name.
Neither did the Panthers.
The 2020 first-round draft pick was coming off a career year in 2023 — one that saw him break a pretty substantial NFL record for tackles as a defensive lineman (with 103) and sign a four-year, $96 million contract extension as a direct result.
The Pro Bowler’s absence loomed over the defense like a dark cloud. And his return is where the improvement begins for a Panthers defense that gave up an all-time NFL-most 534 points in the 2024 regular season.
But Brown’s return will not be where the Panthers’ improvement on defense ends, Panthers leaders say. Nor should it be.
“We’re going to continue to add to the defensive side of the ball,” general manager Dan Morgan said. “We’ll be smart, but we’ll be aggressive in our process this offseason. Definitely, it’s something that I think everyone on the team takes personally.”
In this spirit, here are three offseason moves the Panthers could make to meaningfully improve and/or stabilize their defense for 2025 and beyond.
Add another defensive lineman in free agency
Again, the improvement on this defense hinges on the return of Brown, the anchor of a unit in 2023 that was a Top 5 defense in yards allowed in the NFL. Brown told reporters last week that he is feeling good and expects to be back out on the field come time for Organized Team Activities (OTAs), which typically begin in early May.
But for defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero’s defense to get back on track, an upgrade along the defensive line could be helpful.
Evero’s 3-4 scheme was criticized in 2024 for its inability to stop the run. The team finished with an NFL-worst 3,057 rushing yards allowed in 2024; was last in opponent yards per rush (5.2); and was 32nd in rush touchdowns per game at 1.4.
There are a lot of reasons for this. Many, however, don’t include the names Brown or A’Shawn Robinson, who had a wonderful year to the tune of 80 tackles and 5.5 sacks. (Those 80 tackles, per ESPN stats, led the league in the regular season among defensive linemen.)
One compelling player who is set to be a free agent come March is Javon Hargrave, a two-time Pro Bowler and South Carolina State alum. San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch told reporters last week that the 49ers plan to release Hargrave, 32, meaning the veteran could be an important addition to a team that needs short-term help as other young defensive linemen — Jaden Crumedy, among them — develop into NFL talents. Hargrave is coming off season-ending biceps surgery and has 45.5 sacks and four forced fumbles through nine seasons.
Other defensive linemen who the Panthers could be interested in acquiring over the free agency period: Osa Odighizuwa (Cowboys), Milton Williams (Eagles) and Oakboro, N.C., native BJ Hill (Bengals).
Bring back cornerback Mike Jackson
The Panthers’ defensive backfield is far from settled. Jordan Fuller and Nick Scott, two safeties with robust experience under Evero’s system at previous stops, were hopped by undrafted free agent Demani Richardson in the depth chart. The cornerback room outside of Pro Bowler Jaycee Horn and No. 2 guy Mike Jackson was unpredictable.
So that makes it all the more important to re-sign Jackson.
Jackson is an undeniable triumph of Morgan’s first year as general manager. After being acquired in a trade for Panthers’ seventh-round rookie linebacker Michael Barrett, Jackson finished the season with 1,140 defensive snaps — most of his career — and tacked on 76 tackles, 17 pass deflections and two interceptions. The 2019 fifth-round draft pick was a steady option in a room that can always be invested in come April’s NFL Draft.
Jackson had a base salary of $1.055 million — all of which was guaranteed — in 2024, according to Over The Cap.
If the Panthers don’t re-sign Jackson, there are opportunities to flesh out this position in free agency, too. Among them include DJ Reed of the New York Jets (whose 75.1 PFF coverage grade ranks 14th among all players at the position), Charvarius Ward of the 49ers and Rasul Douglas of the Buffalo Bills.
Find a long-term solution at EDGE rusher
It’s true that a lot of the defense’s problems came because playmakers were all injured at the same time. Linebacker Shaq Thompson and Brown missed pretty much the whole season with injuries, and OLB DJ Wonnum didn’t make his Panthers debut until Week 10, after an unexpected (and at times life-threatening) recovery process.
Still, even with Wonnum in his prime and impactful — and even with Jadeveon Clowney showing flashes as a veteran opposite him as outside linebacker — the Panthers need to invest in pass rushers this offseason. The stats bear that out. The Panthers finished 29th (out of 32 teams) in sack percentage in 2024 with 5.69% and allowed a 67.92% completion percentage — a product of a variety of things, including a lack of QB pressures.
This position will most likely be prioritized in the draft. Some names to keep track of: Abdul Carter from Penn State (though he likely played his way out of falling to the Panthers’ No. 8 pick thanks to a great performance in the College Football Playoff), Mykel Williams from Georgia and James Pearce Jr. out of Tennessee.
But the free agency market is pretty interesting at this position, too. Some names who are already in the league: Josh Sweat of the Eagles, Azeez Ojulari of the Giants, Marcus Davenport of the Saints and Malcolm Koonce of the Raiders.
This story was originally published January 14, 2025 at 5:30 AM.
