The Panthers have spent the last year trying to patch up a defense that was flat-out miserable in 2024, and in the middle of all that work, Mike Jackson has become one of the biggest reasons there’s at least some reason for optimism.
General manager Dan Morgan attacked the problem from every angle last offseason. Carolina added defensive linemen Tershawn Wharton and Bobby Brown III, edge rusher Patrick Jones II, and strong safety Tre’von Moehrig in free agency.
Then came more help in the draft with pass-rushers Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen, safety Lathan Ransom, and defensive tackle Cam Jackson. There was improvement, and Derrick Brown’s return after missing the final 16 games of 2024 mattered a lot.
But the defense still has work to do.
In the secondary, though, Jackson has been one of the steadier pieces. Jaycee Horn was already there as the former first-round pick, but Jackson arrived in 2024 via trade from the Seattle Seahawks and immediately became a full-time starter. In that first season with Carolina, the Panthers still gave up an NFL-high 35 touchdown passes, but Jackson logged 76 tackles, intercepted two passes and led the team with 17 passes defensed.
He took another step in 2025.
Jackson started all 17 games again, finished fifth on the team with 68 tackles, tied for second on the club with four interceptions behind Horn’s five, and once more led Carolina with 19 passes defensed. One of those picks turned into a pick-six against eventual NFL MVP Matthew Stafford in the Panthers’ 31-28 regular-season win over the Rams.
He wasn’t done there. Jackson faced Stafford again in the wild card round and came away with another interception in Carolina’s 34-31 home loss. He added three tackles and again led the Panthers with four passes defensed in that game.
That kind of production has pushed him into some serious national respect. Pro Football Focus has Jackson ranked No. 10 among cornerbacks entering the 2026 season, and Dalton Wasserman summed up the rise this way: “In a matter of just two seasons,” explained Dalton Wasserman, “Jackson has gone from an afterthought in Seattle to being arguably the Panthers’ best defensive player. Last season, he earned an 85.8 PFF coverage grade that led all cornerback who played at least 300 coverage snaps…”
Now Carolina has a decision to make. Jackson is in the final year of the two-year, $10.5 million deal he signed in 2025, and for a player who has started every game since arriving, that contract looks like a bargain. The question is whether the Panthers try to lock him up now or let him play it out.
Some have floated the idea of using a first-round pick in 2027 to replace him if he reaches free agency. But Carolina Panthers On SI’s Zach Roberts has suggested a three-year, $54 million extension as the right move for both sides.
And given what Carolina gave up to get him - 2024 seventh-round linebacker Michael Barrett, who has yet to appear in an NFL game - it’s hard to argue the Panthers didn’t get a steal.
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Panthers Still Have One Secondary Question After Big Trevon Moehrig Move
The Panthers made a clear investment in the back end by landing Trevon Moehrig on a three-year, $51 million deal, signaling they want more toughness and stability in the secondary. Moehrigs calling card has been run defense, which fits a team trying to get harder to play against, but his coverage numbers have lagged enough that the move does not fully answer how Carolina wants to hold up against the passing game.
That is why the conversation does not stop with one big signing. Carolina could still use another experienced presence at safety, and Arizonas Budda Baker has emerged as a logical name to watch because of his veteran coverage value, even with some recent decline. The Panthers have addressed one need, but if they want the secondary to feel complete, there is still another layer to sort out. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Face A Tough Bobby Brown Decision On Defense
Bobby Brown III arrived in Carolina with the kind of long-term commitment that usually signals a bigger role ahead, but his first season under the three-year extension has not matched the teams hopes. That has prompted some outside scrutiny of the Panthers defensive line plan, especially with Lee Hunter, a 2026 second-round pick, waiting for a clearer path to playing time.
Still, the Panthers are dealing with a thin margin up front, and that makes any move trickier than it looks on paper. Even if a trade would appeal as a way to reshape the depth chart, Carolina may be inclined to keep every defensive lineman it has for now, simply because the units health is not in a place that invites much subtraction. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Rookie Could Change Carolinas Offensive Line Sooner Than Expected
The Panthers should open the season with most of their skill-position starters intact, but the offensive line is already set for a shuffle after injuries at tackle pushed Rasheed Walker and Monroe Freeling into bigger roles. Center is the other spot worth watching, even if the current plan still leans toward veteran Luke Fortner holding down the middle while the rest of the front sorts itself out.
Pro Football Focus analyst Gordon McGuinness sees a possible longer view there, with rookie Sam Hecht sitting in the mix as a player who could force his way into the lineup before long. Hechts college tape gave him a reputation as a steady blocker in both phases, and Fortners one-year deal leaves Carolina with a built-in opening if the rookie keeps developing the way the Panthers hope. [Read more 🡒]