With Madden ratings set to start stirring up the usual offseason noise, Derrick Brown is already lined up for a number that should sit just right with Carolina Panthers fans.
The Panthers’ star defensive tackle is rumored to land at a 96 overall in Madden 27, which would make him the highest-rated player on Carolina’s roster. It would also put him at the top of the game’s defensive tackle rankings.
That fits the season Brown just put together. He’s coming off a career year with five sacks, the most he has ever had in a single season, and the rating reflects the kind of impact he’s built as the best player on the Panthers’ roster. In terms of positional value, he’s only behind quarterback Bryce Young.
For Panthers history, though, the number carries even more weight. Brown would not be joining the 99 overall club, but he would still land among the most highly rated players the franchise has ever had. Carolina’s top Madden ratings belong to Luke Kuechly and Cam Newton, both at 99, followed by Christian McCaffrey at 97.
Among defensive tackles specifically, Brown would become the highest-rated Panther since Kris Jenkins in Madden 06, when Jenkins checked in at 97 overall. After that, the drop-off is steep. The next closest Carolina defensive tackle rating belongs to Kawaan Short, who was given an 87 overall in Madden 19 and 21.
Brown still has work to do before he reaches that rare 99 territory, but if he stays healthy over the next few years, he could eventually get there and pass Jenkins as the highest-rated defensive tackle in Panthers history.
In Other News...
Panthers May Finally Have A Tight End Answer For Bryce Young
The Panthers have spent enough time looking for a reliable tight end that any credible upgrade is worth a closer look, especially with Bryce Young still in need of more easy answers in the passing game. Bleacher Reports Moe Moton floated a trade idea that would send a mid-round pick to Los Angeles for a veteran who is in the final year of his deal and has produced more as a receiver than Carolinas current tight ends have managed in their careers.
What makes the idea interesting is that the Rams might actually have reason to listen. Their tight end room is crowded enough that a player like Colby Parkinson could become expendable, with Tyler Higbee, Terrance Ferguson and rookie Max Klare all part of the mix. For Carolina, the question is whether this is the kind of move that can stabilize a thin position without costing too much draft capital in the process. [Read more 🡒]
Another Quarterback Debate Is Suddenly Circling The Panthers Again
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For now, though, Richardson is still in Indianapolis and competing for the backup job behind an injured Daniel Jones, which keeps the situation in a strange holding pattern. Several quarterback-needy teams are being mentioned as possible landing spots, and the idea of a fresh start has only added to the noise around a player whose value still feels fluid, with any return likely tied to a modest draft pick rather than a major haul. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Fans Are Already Going To Have Opinions On These Rookie Ratings
Leaked Madden 27 ratings are already giving Panthers fans something to debate, with the teams top three rookies from the 2026 draft landing in the middle of the pack before they have even played an NFL snap. Monroe Freeling, Lee Hunter and Chris Brazzell II all showed up in the early numbers, and the ordering lines up pretty closely with how the three were viewed coming out of the draft.
Of course, these are only unofficial ratings, the kind that can shift quickly once real game tape starts piling up. For Carolina, the bigger question is not how a video game sees the rookies in July, but how much those projections change once the season actually starts and the league gets a first real look at what the Panthers have. [Read more 🡒]