5 Panthers players who didn’t meet expectations vs. Browns in Week 1
By Dean Jones
Derrick Brown – Carolina Panthers DT
Expectations have risen for Derrick Brown in 2022. The defensive tackle is expected to take a huge leap forward in Year 3 and become the dominant figure those in power hoped for when they selected him No. 7 overall in the 2020 NFL Draft, but it wasn’t a good start for the player during the Carolina Panthers season opener.
Brown was inconsistent and unable to make his presence felt. The lineman found life difficult generating meaningful pressure versus a stout Cleveland Browns interior offensive line, which also saw the Auburn product fail to become a reliable force against the run as Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt had their way with Carolina’s defense from start to finish.
It’s only one game. But this did nothing to quash the concerns of some fans regarding Brown and whether or not he can eventually reach Pro Bowl-caliber production.
The Panthers didn’t cover themselves in glory on defense. Brown was also not the only underperforming player when the opportunity was there for Carolina to get their campaign off to a good start.
There were moments when Brown looked the part. However, just being solid is not going to cut it anymore considering where the Panthers drafted him.