The Carolina Panthers’ biggest 2026 question is still Bryce Young, but the issue hanging over the other side of the ball is just as glaring: can this pass rush stop living in the league’s basement?
That’s the problem that has lingered for three straight seasons, with Carolina finishing bottom-five in sacks each year. The Panthers at least attacked the issue in free agency, bringing in edge rusher Jaelan Phillips and linebacker Devin Lloyd on major deals. Phillips gives them the kind of name and juice they’ve been missing, while Lloyd arrives as a strong pass rusher for his position.
Even with those additions, the test now shifts to defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero. The question is whether he can turn this front into something more than a collection of parts. Robert Mays of The Athletic said that will be one of the first things he’s watching when the season opens.
“Is Jaelan Phillips enough to take that pass rush from a team that finished 32nd when rushing four to a unit that feels dangerous? Because that’s about more than individual talent, and he really is the only guy you’re adding back into that.
Turk Wharton is still hurt. You lose Nic Scourton before the season.
There are some teams that even if they don’t have the horses pass-rush wise, the plan feels dynamic.”
Scourton’s loss is a real setback for Carolina’s front, and Wharton didn’t contribute much in this area even when he was available. That leaves the Panthers leaning heavily on Pat Jones II and Princely Umanmielen to help hold down the edge opposite Phillips.
The bigger issue, though, may be how Evero chooses to attack opposing quarterbacks. He has been notably cautious about blitzing during his time running Carolina’s defense, and if the Panthers are going to generate the pressure they need, that approach may have to change. Evero did find success blitzing against the Los Angeles Rams in the playoffs, and that kind of aggressiveness could be part of the answer.
In Other News...
Panthers Backfield Concerns Just Brought Home A Familiar Name
The Panthers turned to a familiar roster-building move on Sept. 3, signing running back Ahmani Marshall to the practice squad while releasing offensive lineman Isaia Glass in a corresponding transaction. Marshall arrives with some recent NFL background, having spent time in Browns camp and on Clevelands practice squad before being cut, and Carolina is clearly looking for help in the backfield after injuries thinned out the room.
It is the kind of addition that can matter more than it looks on paper, especially this early in the season when teams are still sorting out depth and durability. Marshall now gets a chance to re-enter the conversation in Carolina, and the larger question is whether this is just a temporary patch or the first move in a more complicated backfield reset. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Final Roster Shakeup Created One Clear Winner And Loser
The Panthers roster decisions ahead of the season brought a little more clarity to the depth chart, and a little more intrigue to the back end of the roster. Carolina kept quarterback Haynes King after he flashed in the preseason, a nice reward for a summer in which he forced his way into the conversation, while the team also made a notable addition at linebacker in Bobby Okereke as it trimmed to 53.
For Jermaine Wallace, the ripple effect was immediate, since the arrival of Okereke helped push him off the roster. There was a bit of encouraging news elsewhere, too, with Dave Canales saying he remains optimistic about Chuba Hubbards Week 1 availability despite the recent soreness, but the bigger takeaway is that the Panthers used cutdown day to make a couple of firm statements about who mattered most right now. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers First Round Decision Looks Smarter Than Fans Realized
The Panthers first-round choice drew plenty of second-guessing when the draft ended, but the picture around it has changed quickly. Monroe Freeling is now in the starting tackle role after Taylor Motons injury, and that kind of immediate need has a way of making a front office look far more foresighted than it did on draft night. Carolina has spent the early part of the season learning how thin the margin can be up front, and Freelings arrival now looks tied directly to one of the teams most important spots.
Makai Lemon, who had been floated as another possible target for Carolina, has only added to the retrospective argument by struggling through the preseason. The Panthers are still being judged on the whole set of draft decisions, but this is the kind of development that can change the tone around a pick fast. What once looked like a reach now appears to have lined up neatly with a real roster need, and in Carolinas case those are the kinds of calls that tend to matter most. [Read more 🡒]