Carolina Panthers' top defensive trio flies under the radar in SI rankings

As ugly as the results were, fans of the Carolina Panthers should not allow last season's defense to define what this group of capable of. Injuries are a unavoidable part of the game for every team in the NFL. However, no team can absorb the loss of their best player for the entire season easily.

That's what happened when Derrick Brown went down with a mysterious meniscus injury after Week 1, leaving the rest of Carolina's short-handed defensive front seven to struggle against the run for the rest of the season - and their pass rush to flounder until Week 10 when DJ Wonnum joined the lineup.

With Brown actually in the lineup the Panthers are getting a huge upgrade where it matters most this year. They also have Jaycee Horn returning from his first (mostly) healthy season, which resulted in his first career Pro Bowl berth.

One player who's flying under the radar is inside linebacker Josey Jewell, who did some serious hero's work last season while everything was collapsing around him.

Together, these three are the Panthers top defensive trio going into the 2025 season, according to Sports Illustrated. So, where do they rank compared to the competition? Not great and not terrible, apparently. SI has Brown, Horn and Jewell slotted at No. 20 on their list.

nfl — Feb 1, 2025; Orlando, FL, USA; Carolina Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn (8) during NFC Practice for the Pro Bowl Games at Camping World Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

SI on ranking Panthers' trio 20th

"The Panthers are coming off a dreadful defensive season, but they’ll see the return of Brown, who sustained a season-ending knee injury in Week 1. After overcoming injuries early in his career, Horn delivered a dominant 2024 season and was rewarded with a four-year, $100 million contract extension this offseason."

It's probably a fair ranking given the context. Brown is coming off a lost season, only about seven analysts even know Jewell's name and as yet it's hard to count on Horn to play a full year.

That said, these three do represent a relatively strong nucleus - if they can stay healthy. Hopefully some new pieces like Tre'Von Moehrig and Patrick Jones II contribute in a serious way so these three don't have to carry such a heavy load in 2025.

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