Predicting the Madden 24 Ratings for the Panthers' Defensive Starters

Although the release of Madden 24 is still over a month away, now is a good time to take a look at how each starter on the Carolina Panthers' defense will be rated.

Note: Keep in mind, the overall rating predictions are what I believe Madden will rate each player, not what I would rate them.

DE DeShawn Williams - 70

Williams isn't someone who will wow you numbers-wise but he is a productive defensive end and one that fits Ejiro Evero's defense. Last year with Evero, Williams had his best year as a pass rusher recording 4.5 sacks and eight QB hits.

NT Shy Tuttle - 72

Tuttle was rated as a 71 in last year's game, which is kind of mind-boggling. I figured he would be somewhere around a 76-78. He'll help plug up running lanes and free up Derrick Brown to make more plays as a pass rusher.

DE Derrick Brown - 87

Brown has upped his production every year he's been in the league but in 2023, I believe we'll see him take a major step in getting after the quarterback. Will he have ten sacks? No, but he'll wreak more havoc than he has to this point in his career.

OLB Brian Burns - 90

Burns set single-season highs across the board last year in tackles (63), tackles for loss (17), QB hits (22), and sacks (12.5). The goal for him this year? Ten sacks by Week 10. I think he can do it.

ILB Shaq Thompson - 84

Bringing back Shaq Thompson doesn't get the attention it deserves. He's the clear leader of this defense and is rock solid defender. Thompson may not be a top-tier linebacker in the NFL but he's a quality talent and he stays on the field, playing in 14+ games in each of eight years in the league.

ILB Frankie Luvu - 81

To this day, it blows my mind that Frankie Luvu was not selected to the Pro Bowl. He was one of the most disruptive players in all of football and can be a game changer with his ability to make plays on the ball.

OLB Yetur Gross-Matos - 73

It'll be interesting to see how YGM fits in to this defense and if he experiences any issues in his transition to an outside backer. Not exactly sure what to expect out of the former second round pick.

CB Donte Jackson - 80

Jackson has proven to be a quality NFL corner but he may never breakthrough as a star at the position. Injuries haven't helped either and for that, I'll dock him a point from his '23 rating.

CB Jaycee Horn - 83

Horn is one of the best young corners of all of football but hasn't received the deserved recognition because of everything the team has gone through in the last year. At this rate, Horn will be a 90+ OVR by the end of his rookie contract.

FS Xavier Woods - 79

A one-point bump here for X, who really helped stabilize the back end of the Panthers' defense and solved a lot of the communication issues the team had in 2021.

SS Vonn Bell - 82

No change here for Vonn. He didn't rack up nearly as many tackles as he did the prior season but he set a career high with four interceptions.

NB Jeremy Chinn - 83

It was a bit of a down year for Chinn but he did play through some things and missed six games due to injury. His overall will steadily rise throughout the season as he makes play after play in a well-coached defense that will deploy him in the right way.

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