The Carolina Panthers entered the 2025 offseason with one major priority: fixing their defense. After a dismal showing last season, where they were statistically among the NFL’s worst on that side of the ball, team leadership made sweeping moves to revamp their defensive unit.
Looking back at the 2024 campaign, the Panthers’ defense struggled mightily across nearly every category. They ranked dead last in the league in total yards allowed, rushing yards surrendered, and points given up per game. Their pass defense was only slightly better, ranking 23rd. Clearly, this was a group that needed both a talent infusion and a philosophical reset.
Understanding the gravity of the situation, the Panthers aggressively attacked the problem during free agency and the NFL Draft. Their approach wasn’t subtle—they poured financial resources and valuable draft picks into reshaping the defensive core.
Key additions via free agency included defensive linemen Tershawn Wharton and Bobby Brown III. These players are expected to provide immediate help in the trenches, where Carolina has struggled to create pressure and stop the run. Also added were safety Tre’von Moehrig and outside linebacker Patrick Jones, both of whom bring starting experience and scheme versatility.
The draft was equally defense-focused. Carolina used premium picks to bring in promising young defenders such as edge rushers Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen, safety Lathan Ransom, and defensive tackle Cam Jackson. These rookies are expected to contribute right away, especially Scourton and Umanmielen, who are being looked at as building blocks for the future of the team’s pass rush.
This influx of new talent will join a handful of returning standouts on the defense. Among them are cornerback Jaycee Horn, widely seen as a potential shutdown player when healthy, and defensive lineman Derrick Brown, who has developed into a cornerstone of the defensive front. Additionally, edge rusher D.J. Wonnum and inside linebacker Josey Jewell bring experience and leadership to the middle of the defense.
Despite this flurry of activity and apparent upgrades, not everyone is buying the hype. NFL analyst Warren Sharp, of Sharp Football Analysis, remains unconvinced about the Panthers’ defensive transformation. In his recent rankings of NFL front-sevens for the 2025 season, Sharp placed Carolina near the bottom, pegging them at 29th out of 32 teams. It was a notable drop from their 23rd-place spot a year ago.
Sharp explained his reasoning in part by highlighting the unproven nature of Carolina’s pass rushers. While rookies like Scourton are promising, they’re still unknowns at the professional level. Meanwhile, Wonnum—who was expected to be a key contributor—is coming off an injury-shortened season in which he only played eight games and totaled just four sacks. His durability and consistency are now question marks heading into the new season.
The situation became even murkier after the Panthers released veteran defensive end Jadeveon Clowney. Although Clowney’s production wasn’t eye-popping, his presence added much-needed depth and experience to the edge rotation. His departure puts added pressure on young and untested players to fill major roles from Day 1.
Still, it’s not all bad news for Carolina. The defensive line could quietly become a strength. The combination of Derrick Brown, Bobby Brown III, and Tershawn Wharton gives the Panthers a trio of disruptive interior linemen capable of holding their ground against the run and collapsing the pocket.
At inside linebacker, Josey Jewell is expected to lead the group alongside Christian Rozeboom. While not household names, both players have flashed solid instincts and tackling ability. If they stay healthy, this duo could provide some much-needed stability in the second level of the defense.
Even though skepticism is warranted, particularly with the youth and inexperience at certain spots, the Panthers’ defensive front doesn’t appear to be as bleak as Sharp’s ranking suggests. Yes, there are valid concerns. But there’s also plenty of untapped potential. Rookies can grow quickly in the right system, and the Panthers’ coaching staff is hopeful they’ve built an environment where that development can take place rapidly.
It’s also important to consider the overall direction of the franchise. Under new leadership, the Panthers have made it clear that they are committed to building a more balanced, aggressive, and sustainable roster. General manager Dan Morgan took over personnel decisions this offseason and brought a renewed sense of urgency. The defense, which had been largely neglected or patched together in recent years, finally became a top priority.
The key will be cohesion. If the new faces can gel with the returning veterans and the group can avoid the injury bug that plagued them last season, there’s no reason why this defense can’t make significant strides in 2025. It may not become a top-10 unit overnight, but improvement into the middle tier of the league would already be a huge step forward and help the Panthers become more competitive overall.
In the end, rankings like Sharp’s are useful snapshots of perception, but they don’t always capture the whole picture. Teams like the Panthers that undergo massive offseason overhauls are particularly difficult to evaluate on paper alone. Until the games are played, the true strength—or weakness—of their front-seven remains speculative.
Carolina’s defensive future hinges on how well the new acquisitions adapt and how quickly young players develop. If the rookies prove they belong and the free-agent signings perform up to expectations, Sharp’s preseason ranking could look overly pessimistic in hindsight.
For now, though, the Panthers will have to earn respect the hard way—by proving on the field that they are no longer the defensive doormat of the NFL. The 2025 season will be a litmus test for this rebuilt unit, and the stakes are high. Another year of defensive futility could derail the team’s rebuilding efforts. But if this group clicks, it could be the beginning of a new identity in Carolina: one defined by toughness, youth, and resilience.
