Derrick Brown guarantees all-time bad Panthers defense will be different in 2025

Carolina's star defensive tackle returning should make a major difference for this unit, but he also has some new teammates that will help.

Nov 19, 2023; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle (23) is tackled by Carolina Panthers defensive tackles LaBryan Ray (93) and Derrick Brown (95) in the second quarter at Bank of America Stadium. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Tonight we will get our first look at the Carolina Panthers in their 2025 preseason debut against the Cleveland Browns. While much of this season's hopes hinge on the development of third-year quarterback Bryce Young, no amount of growth from BY9 is going to get the Panthers back to the playoffs if they continue to have literally the worst defense of all time.

That was the state of affairs last season the the Panthers, who allowed more points and more yards than any other defense in NFL history. To be fair, they were missing their most-important player for all but one game in 2024.

That's defensive tackle Derrick Brown, who was coming off his first career Pro Bowl season when he suffered a meniscus tear in Week 1 that sidelined him for the rest of the year. That more than anything else set the stage for Carolina's defensive failures.

This year, Brown is vowing that things are going to be different. Here's what he said about it, according to Mark Inabinett at AL.com.

Derrick Brown guarantees defensive improvement

"It’s going to be different,” Carolina defensive tackle Derrick Brown the NFL Network on Tuesday about the Panthers’ 2025 defense. “I can guarantee you that. I think last year, you know, especially Coach (Dave) Canales, he doesn’t like to -- we don’t want to harp on the past. Last year was what last year was, and then it’s time for us to move on from that, so I mean we’ve completely turned the chapter from that, and you can look for a more exciting defense, for sure, coming this fall.”

Jan 7, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker K.J. Britt (52) with Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Derrick Brown (95) after the game at Bank of America Stadium. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

While they had plenty of problems with their pass rush and in coverage, the Panthers' greatest issue was stopping the run. Without Derrick Brown to plug things up in the middle of their defensive front, opposing ball carriers were able to immediately get to the second level on almost every attempt last season.

A healthy Brown starting next to free agent upgrades Turk Wharton and Bobby Brown II should help turn that dynamic around, or at least turn the worst run defense in the league into a mediocre one.

Other key defensive additions include edge rusher Patrick Jones II and safety Tre'von Moehrig, who should be a major step up over what the Panthers got from Xavier Woods last season.

While they look much better on paper now than they did at the start of last season, the Panthers could still use boosts at all three levels of their. Releasing Jadeveon Clowney opened up a hole on the edge, losing Josey Jewell punched a hole in the middle and they still need another proven safety to start opposite Moehrig on the back end.

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