Stock Up, Stock Down for Panthers After Frustrating Week 3 Loss to Browns

The Carolina Panthers suffered their second loss of the season on the road against the Cleveland Browns. The game was a rock fight, ending in a 21-18 Browns win, where offensive success was hard to come by, and the defense was good throughout the game until it mattered most.

It's a game that Carolina should've won, but now the focus shifts to next weekend, as the Detroit Lions come to town for Sunday Night Football. Before that, theres areas where Carolina's stock has gone up and gone down.

Stock Down: Offensive Line

Bryce Young was sacked against the Browns — IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

By far the worst performances from Carolina's offensive line thus far. QB Bryce Young isn't going to be mentioned in this stock up/stock down because his stock stays the same after doing all he could despite awful pass blocking.

Bryce Young was pressured on 64% of dropbacks, which is the most this season by a mile. The run game wasn't even a factor in this game until the fourth quarter. The penalties didn't stop this week either, Carolina was flagged multiple times for holding and false starts and illegal shifts.

Right guard Robert Hunt was responsible for three penalties in the first six minutes of the game. These things can't happen if this offense is to thrive, as it has for two of the three weeks so far.

Stock Up: Princely Umanmielen

Princely Umanmielen against the Browns — IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After Nic Scourton got hurt on the first day of training camp, Umanmielen's role in Carolina's pass rush became much more significant. In Week 3, Umanmielen showed he can make a huge impact and helped Carolina stay in the game.

Posting 3 tackles and 1 sack, Umanmielen was the most impressive player on defense. It's not expected that he can replicate this on a week-to-week basis. If Umanmielen can create a few plays a game, even if it's just generating pressure, it will go a long way for him and this pass rush as a whole.

Stock Down: Injuries

Jalen Coker against the Browns — IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Injuries stink, and Carolina has a lot of them. After a stellar Week 2, where the Panthers had maybe their most complete performance in the Canales era, the injury bug struck not only during the week, but also on Sunday.

Jalen Coker was questionable throughout the week, and then left the game in the second half due to a mild quad strain. Both Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson left Cleveland banged up, with Horn dealing with a quad injury and Jackson dealing with a groin injury.

Star ILB Devin Lloyd missed all week of practice and couldn't play due to a calf injury.

Those four injuries alone are back-breaking, thats four of Carolina's 10 best players on the entire roster.

Stock Up: Brycen Tremayne

Brycen Tremayne against the Browns — IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Another injury on Sunday, starting WR3 Xavier Legette was unable to suit up for the Panthers on Sunday due to a knee injury. Tremayne stepped up and gave Carolina a boost when needed.

Tremayne with a HUGE catch#CARvsCLE

📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/d3yuCYN38O
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) September 27, 2026

Tremayne totaled 4 catches, for 83 yards, on 6 targets. Carolina's offense has thrived in the vertical passing game, and Tremayne was the only receiver to find a catch on one of those passes.

With questions around Legette and Coker's injuries, Tremayne might be crucial for this offense moving forward.

Add us as a preferred source on Google