Panthers’ Defensive Core Ranking Highlights Dan Morgan’s Obsessive Rebuild

The Panthers’ defense was much-improved in 2025. This unit now has a solid core led by three players, each with at least one Pro Bowl invite on their resume.

Oct 6, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Devin Lloyd intercepts a pass and returns it for a touchdown during the second half against the Kansas City Chiefs at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Imagesv | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Tis the season for all kinds of preseason ranking and lists. Many teams will open up their mandatory minicamps this week, and training camp begins next month.

Late last week, Matt Verderame of SI.com ranked each NFL team’s offensive triplets. The Carolina Panthers didn’t fair too well, with the quarterback Bryce Young, running back Chuba Hubbard, and wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan finishing a disappointing 26th.

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Meanwhile, SI.com colleague Gilberto Manzano handled the other side of the ball for the 32 clubs. In contrast to Verderame’s offensive analysis, Manzano apparently sees a unit on the rise. He put the Panthers’ trifecta of defensive tackle Derrick Brown, linebacker Devin Lloyd, and cornerback Jaycee Horn in the No. 16 slot.

It was a forgettable showing by the Carolina Panthers’ defense in 2024

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“The Panthers’ defense continues to make strides under defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero,” stated Manzano. “With a healthy Brown in 2025, the Panthers improved their run defense (they were historically bad in this area in ’24) and provided enough push to allow the defensive backs to make game-changing plays. Brown, the underrated defensive tackle, played in every game last season after playing only one the year before.”

During head coach Dave Canales’s first season, Carolina fielded at one of the worst defenses in recent history. The club finished dead last in the league in both total yards and rushing yards allowed per game. That latter figure was to the tune of 179.8 yards outing. In fact, Carolina defenders permitted at least 200 yards rushing in each of their final six contests that season.

But wait, there’s more. The Panthers allowed 59 offensive touchdowns, 24 on the ground and 35 through the air. They managed just 32 sacks and came up with only 17 takeaways. All told, the team allowed an NFL single-season record 534 points.

A healthy Derrick Brown made a big difference in 2025

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How times are changing. With Brown back in the lineup all season, the Panthers improved to 20th in the league in run defense—allowing a much-improved 123.3 yards per game on the ground. That’s still not an ideal number, but the free-agent addition of Lloyd should help considering he was part of a Jacksonville defense that allowed the fewest rushing yards in the league this past season. 

Meanwhile, Horn totaled a team-high and career-best five interceptions in 2025 and according to Manzano “could have more this season with the arrivals of Lloyd, a second-team All-Pro with the Jaguars, and edge rusher Jaelan Phillips, who had dominant stretches after a midseason trade from Miami to Philadelphia.”

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All told, Brown (2023), Lloyd (2025), and Horn (2024 and ’25) have all been named to at least one Pro Bowl in recent seasons. That’s suddenly a solid foundation for a defense that could take a huge step forward with the additions of Phillips, rookies Lee Hunter and Zakee Wheatley, and the continued efforts of safety Tre’von Moehrig, underrated cornerback Mike Jackson, and up-and-coming edge rusher Nic Scourton.