Who will wind up starting for Carolina Panthers on the edge?

Dave Canales’s team made strides by the end of 2024, winning four of their final nine games after a 1-7 start. Unfortunately, the Carolina Panthers’ defense appeared to get worse as the season unfolded. It finished dead last in the league in several categories, and the team allowed a single-season NFL record 534 points.

There were issues everywhere, including a pass rush that tied for third-fewest sacks in the league (32) this past season. Keep in mind that in 2023, the Panthers totaled a league-low 27 quarterback traps.

This offseason would be challenging for general manager Dan Morgan, who addressed coordinator Ejiro Evero’s unit heavily in free agency, and with four more selections in the draft. When it came to the pass rush, Carolina had three prominent additions this offseason.

Panthers’ GM Dan Morgan added youth to the pass rush

Jul 24, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers linebacker Princely Umanmielen (33) walks up to training camp. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

Prior to April’s draft, Morgan invested in a four-year pro who was coming off a career season. The Panthers inked edge rusher Patrick Jones II to a two-year, $15 million contract (via Spotrac). Originally a third-round pick by the Minnesota Vikings in 2021, his final season with the Purple Gang saw him total career highs in tackles (39) and sacks (7.0) in 15 games.

In April, after using a first-round selection on wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, Morgan grabbed edge rushers Nic Scourton (2-Texas A&M) and Princely Umanmielen (3-Mississippi) with his next two picks. Roughly two weeks after the draft, the Panthers cut ties with Jadeveon Clowney after one season with the club. He had tied for the team lead in sacks in 2024, albeit with only 5.5 QB traps.

Of course, five-year veteran D.J. Wonnum is very much in the mix. He was a 2024 offseason addition from Minnesota, but missed the first nine games of the season due to injury. He started Carolina’s final eight contests and came up with 37 tackles, four sacks, and a forced fumble. Via the Panthers’ current depth chart, he and Jones are Evero’s starting outside linebackers, and both were in the opening lineup vs. the Browns.

Rookie Nic Scourton made a positive impression vs. the Browns

Back to the club’s Day 2 selections. In the preseason opener Friday night vs. Cleveland, Scourton made his presence felt despite playing only 16 defensive snaps—both in the first half. Each of his two stops resulted in negative yards for the Browns. He tackled wide receiver Jamari Thrash for a two-yard loss after he caught a pass from Shedeur Sanders, and then he was credited with a sack of Sanders after relentlessly chasing down the rookie signal-caller and eventually forcing him out of bounds for a one-yard loss.

Umanmielen actually played more defensive snaps (23) than Scourton, and also had seven plays on special teams. He finished with a pair of tackles, but ESPN’s David Newton pointed out the he “lost containment on a Sanders’ scramble.”

Canales’s club takes the field again this Saturday night at Houston. It will be interesting to see if Jones and Wonnum see more playing time. On the other hand, Scourton’s relentless pursuit of Sanders on a play that resulted in a one-yard loss is hard to ignore. It will be interesting to see if that continues against the Texans this weekend, and there’s no reason to think it won’t.

- Enjoy more free Panthers coverage with Carolina Panthers on SI -

Panthers studs & duds from preseason opener against Browns

Xavier Legette apologizes for wild preseason fight and ejection

Stock up, stock down after the Panthers’ first preseason game

Carolina Panthers’ punt return game already in midseason form