6 Carolina Panthers players outperforming their pay grade in 2022
By Dean Jones
Derrick Brown – Carolina Panthers DT
- 2022 cap number: $6.44 million
Someone with a cap number of $6.44 million might not necessarily represent a bargain in most instances. However, one look at the film indicates that this is exactly the case where Derrick Brown is concerned.
The formidable defensive tackle came into an important Year 3 with renewed purpose. Some questions were asked about his production so far by fans, but there is no doubting his importance to any success that comes the Carolina Panthers’ way moving forward.
Brown is a commanding force on the interior, shifting momentum at the line of scrimmage with ease and making things extremely difficult for opposing runners to generate any meaningful yardage in recent weeks.
The former No. 7 overall selection out of Auburn’s production might not come with lofty stats. But he does the thankless tasks exceptionally well to benefit the likes of Brian Burns and Matt Ioannidis.
This is further reflected in Brown’s incredible 89.1 grade from Pro Football Focus through seven weeks. Should he increase or even maintain this over the remaining ten games, then he could enter the elite category of defensive tackles across the league and make Carolina’s decision to pick up his fifth-year option an easy one.