Panthers’ Defensive Overhaul: A Step Forward in the Right Direction

In the fast-paced and ever-evolving world of the NFL, teams continuously adjust and tweak their rosters to remain competitive. For the Carolina Panthers, the 2024 offseason has been one of significant defensive retooling. With the goal of improving their defensive ranking, which had shown promise but still left room for improvement, the Panthers seem poised to make strides toward becoming one of the more formidable defenses in the league. NFL analysts and experts have noted that the Panthers’ defense is “almost certainly” improved this offseason, and there’s substantial evidence supporting that claim.

Before diving into the specifics of the 2024 offseason moves, it’s essential to understand why improvement was necessary in the first place. The 2023 season was a tale of potential and missed opportunities for the Panthers’ defense. Statistically, Carolina’s defense finished in the middle of the pack in many categories, ranking 15th in total defense. While they were strong in certain areas — particularly against the run — they struggled in other key aspects, such as pass rush and secondary coverage.

• Run Defense: The Panthers were ranked 7th in the NFL in rush defense, allowing only 105.3 yards per game on the ground. They also had a stout defensive front with players like Derrick Brown, who has established himself as one of the league’s better interior defensive linemen.
• Pass Defense: However, the pass defense left a lot to be desired, finishing 19th in passing yards allowed per game. While cornerback Jaycee Horn showed flashes of brilliance, the overall secondary struggled with consistency. The pass rush was also underwhelming, finishing 23rd in the league in total sacks.

Despite the promising talent, these areas of inconsistency ultimately led to the Panthers finishing the season with a defensive unit that needed a boost to become playoff-caliber. This reality set the stage for a busy offseason.

The Panthers did not stand still during the offseason; they aggressively pursued talent to bolster the defense in 2024. Here are some of the key acquisitions that have helped improve the defense:

One of the most notable signings of the offseason was the acquisition of safety Vonn Bell from the Cincinnati Bengals. Bell, who has spent the last few seasons as a leader of the Bengals’ secondary, brings a wealth of experience, leadership, and stability to the Panthers’ back end.

Bell, who has been known for his hard-hitting style and football IQ, offers immediate improvement in a secondary that needed more stability. His presence at safety also helps free up the talented Horn and helps cover up some of the weaknesses at the cornerback position. Bell’s ability to both cover in space and contribute in the run game will provide a much-needed boost to the Panthers’ defensive versatility.

While the Panthers’ primary focus this offseason was on addressing their secondary and pass rush, the front seven was also an area of concern. In the draft, the Panthers targeted an athletic linebacker in the first round, a decision that added both speed and versatility to the defense. The Panthers were able to snag Jahmyr Gibbs’ counterpart, a linebacker who brings both sideline-to-sideline coverage ability and the aggression to rush the passer when needed.

The addition of this linebacker provides a significant upgrade to the Panthers’ front seven. The Panthers struggled last season with stopping fast, elusive running backs and mobile quarterbacks. This new linebacker will help in those areas, improving the team’s ability to cover running backs out of the backfield and preventing big plays.

While the Panthers certainly made moves to bolster their roster, they also ensured that key players from their existing defense would remain in place. Players like Derrick Brown, Brian Burns, and Jaycee Horn were retained, and their leadership and continuity will help the defensive unit as a whole.

Derrick Brown continues to improve as one of the league’s premier interior linemen, and his role as a dominant force in the run game will only grow stronger with the additions to the Panthers’ defense. The addition of Bell also helps with coverage, taking some of the pressure off of Horn, who can now operate in a more lockdown role at cornerback.

Brian Burns, an elite pass rusher who has continued to develop year over year, remains a key figure in the Panthers’ defense. While Burns had a solid 2023 season, the Panthers hope that the added pressure from the linebacking corps and Bell in the secondary will allow Burns to be even more disruptive in 2024.

One of the most critical improvements the Panthers made this offseason was in their ability to generate a pass rush. While Brian Burns has been a bright spot in that regard, the Panthers still struggled with generating consistent pressure outside of his efforts. In an NFL where quarterbacks are more mobile and offensive lines are constantly improving, a strong pass rush can be the difference between a defense that’s average and one that’s elite.

This offseason, the Panthers worked hard to improve the depth on their defensive line, signing multiple players to add rotation and talent. Shy Tuttle, a defensive tackle known for his ability to disrupt plays up the middle, was brought in to solidify the interior. With the ability to pressure quarterbacks and control the line of scrimmage, Tuttle will be an asset in both passing and running situations.

The additions around Burns on the edge will allow him to be more effective, as he’ll be able to work with other pass-rushers who can also create pressure. This multi-pronged approach to rushing the passer should result in more sacks and hurried throws, which will help the secondary.

Along with the player acquisitions, the Panthers have undergone a change in the coaching staff that should bring new ideas and improvements. The team hired Ejiro Evero, a respected defensive mind known for his work with the Denver Broncos, where he was the defensive coordinator. Evero is known for his ability to adapt to different situations and game plans, making adjustments based on the opponent’s strengths and weaknesses.

Evero will implement a defense that focuses on multiple fronts, flexibility, and aggression. With Evero’s guidance, the Panthers are expected to operate with more disguises and blitzes, utilizing the depth and versatility of their defensive personnel. This approach will make it harder for opposing offenses to predict what the Panthers are going to do next, forcing them to react rather than dictating the game.

One of the hallmarks of Evero’s coaching style is his focus on a hybrid defense, where players are given more freedom to shift between different positions, making it harder for offenses to identify matchups they can exploit. This system should especially benefit the Panthers’ talented defensive line and linebacker corps.

While the Panthers’ secondary had some promising moments in 2023, consistency was an issue. With the addition of Vonn Bell, the Panthers now have a more established and versatile safety who can make plays both in coverage and in run support.

Jaycee Horn, who remains one of the rising stars at cornerback, will benefit from having Bell’s leadership in the secondary. Horn has shown the ability to cover top-tier receivers, but last season, he struggled at times when faced with dynamic route runners and multi-faceted passing games. Bell’s presence should help mitigate some of the mismatches Horn faced.

In addition to Bell, the Panthers also drafted a cornerback in the mid-rounds who has a high ceiling and could become a valuable rotational player early in his career. His ability to cover faster, shiftier wide receivers gives the Panthers even more depth and flexibility.

Looking ahead to the 2024 season, it’s clear that the Panthers have made tangible improvements on defense. They’ve addressed their biggest weaknesses by adding depth to the pass rush, solidifying their secondary, and bringing in a new defensive scheme. The defense now has the potential to be not only better than it was in 2023 but to become a top-tier unit in the NFC.

• Pass Rush: With Burns, the new additions to the defensive line, and the changes in the front seven, the Panthers should be much more effective at generating pressure. More sacks and forced turnovers should follow.
• Pass Coverage: With Bell and Horn leading the secondary, and the addition of new cornerback talent, the Panthers are poised to be much more effective in pass coverage. They’ll be better equipped to handle high-powered passing attacks.
• Linebacking Corps: The new linebacker addition should provide more speed and coverage ability in the middle of the defense, which was a glaring weakness in 2023. Their ability to cover running backs and tight ends out of the backfield will significantly improve the defense’s ability to neutralize offensive schemes.

As NFL analysts have noted, the Panthers’ defense is almost certainly improved after this offseason. By upgrading key areas like the pass rush, secondary coverage, and overall depth, the Panthers have positioned themselves for a much more competitive 2024 season. With new players, fresh leadership, and an evolving defensive scheme, this is a unit on the rise. If the pieces fall into place, the Panthers could emerge as one of the top defensive teams in the NFC, giving them the foundation for a long-term playoff contender.