NFL Trade Rumors
Projected Cap Space: $12 million
Draft Picks: 9
Notable Free Agents:
1 – Defensive Line
This legitimately could have read “Top Need: Defense” but lumping too many position groups together kind of defeats the purpose of this exercise. Still, the Panthers set records on that side of the ball in 2024 and not in a good way. Carolina’s 534 points allowed were the most in NFL history. The 3,057 rushing yards allowed were over 650 yards more than the next closest team. Opponents had over a 50 percent success rate and the Panthers had negative 220 EPA on defense — or in other words, their defense was 220 points worse than average. They predictably finished last in the league in a variety of categories, including pressure rate at just 16.2 percent despite blitzing the eight-most of any team.
So yeah, the team needs help on defense and the rebuild should start up front. The Panthers traded away OLB Brian Burns last offseason and lost DT Derrick Brown to a season-ending injury in Week 1, leaving an already thin unit hopelessly overmatched from a talent perspective. Brown will be back and veteran DL A’Shawn Robinson is a solid player, particularly if there’s help around him. But DT Shy Tuttle could be a cap cut and overall an infusion depth and at least another starting caliber player is needed.
On the edge, the Panthers have Jadeveon Clowney and D.J. Wonnum who were signed last year to replace Burns. Clowney was solid, starting 14 games and tying for the team lead with Robinson with 5.5 sacks. Wonnum had four in eight games after missing half the year with complications from his rehab for a torn quad that ended his 2023 season. Both players would be better served coming off the bench or at least playing in a heavy rotation rather than being primary starters like they were asked to be last season. Each player is only under contract for one more season as well. No one else on the depth chart registered as much of a factor.
Overall, it’s not a stretch to say the Panthers need to rebuild their entire front outside of Brown, with more help on the interior and potentially a brand-new edge rusher room...
