Carolina Panthers Didn't Do Enough on Defense, Insider Claims

While things have certainly slowed down around the league, NFL teams continue to add and subtract from their roster as they prepare for the NFL draft—which is exactly five weeks away.

Meanwhile, Jared Dubin of CBS Sports took a look at some of the bigger moves made on defense this offseason. First on his list was the work done by Carolina Panthers’ general manager Dan Morgan. The reigning NFC South champions added edge rusher Jaelan Phillips and linebacker Devin Lloyd to the NFL’s 16th-ranked defense in 2025. The addition of Phillips hopes to solve what has been a big problem for too many years.

Panthers’ GM Dan Morgan added a veteran pass rusher

Dec 14, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Jaelan Phillips (50) walks off the field after win against the Las Vegas Raiders at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

“The Panthers have long had a desperate need for pass-rush help,” explained Dubin. “They finished the 2025 season with a 29.8 percent pressure rate, per Tru Media, the second-worst mark in the league ahead of only the decrepit New York Jets. In 2024, their pressure rate was even lower at 25.2 percent, which was "good" for the single-worst mark in the NFL. They also finished dead last in 2023 and 21st in 2022…”

“Phillips is injury-prone (he played only 12 games combined during the 2023 and 2024 seasons, and he temporarily retired for medical reasons during his college career), but when healthy he is a star pass rusher,” added Dubin. “He finished last season ranked ninth with 73 pressures, and his 18.8 percent pressure rate checked in eighth among the 271 players who rushed the passer at least 100 times. He also checked in 20th in pressure rate in 2022, his previous healthy season.

This past season, the former first-round pick by the Dolphins in 2021 played in a total of 17 regular-season games with Miami and Philadelphia, as well as the Eagles’ playoff tilt with the 49ers. Morgan also reinforced the middle of his defense with a Second Team All-Pro playmaker.

LB Devin Lloyd was a first-time Pro Bowler in 2025

“Lloyd, meanwhile,” said Dubin, “is coming off the best season of his career. He was only available in free agency this offseason because the Jaguars declined his fifth-year option due to his up-and-down (at best) play through the first three years of his career. But if he can recapture any of what he did during Year 4, he’s going to take the second level of Carolina’s defense to a new level as well.

Dave Canales’s team won a division title in 2025 thanks in part to a defensive unit that made huge strides after a forgettable 2024. Despite the additions of Phillips and Lloyd, coordinator Ejiro Evero’s group could use a few more bodies.

“The Panthers still have to add more talent to every part of their defense,” stated Dubin, “in order to improve their standing. But adding these two high-level talents is a good start, particularly to improving their pass defense.”

There’s no argument here. Carolina struggled vs. the run late in the season, and that pass rush took a bit of a step backwards in ’25. Evero’s defense must show much more consistency this upcoming season of the Panthers are to continue their recent resurgence. It will be interesting to see what Morgan does in the coming weeks, as well as April's NFL draft.