The Carolina Panthers made improvements to their roster this offseason. But if head coach Dave Canales wants to see legitimate strides from his squad in 2025, he'll need the team's franchise cornerstones to show up early and often.
This will likely determine whether Carolina's second campaign with Canales leading the charge will be profitable. They have some decent pieces in place, but the top performers must come to the fore. They must lead from the front. They must display outstanding leadership qualities off the field and exceptional production on the gridiron. Nothing else will do.
Analyst highlights key veteran trio as key to Carolina Panthers' hopes in 2025
Trevor Sikkema from Pro Football Focus highlighted three players who'll be integral for the Panthers in 2025. The analyst named defensive lineman Derrick Brown, cornerback Jaycee Horn, and right tackle Taylor Moton as Carolina's best trio. He also thought their health could make or break the team's chances of making progress.
"Unfortunately for Carolina, their best players have often struggled to stay on the field. [Derrick] Brown is the standout, earning a 90.1 overall grade in 2023 before being limited to just 60 snaps last season. [Jaycee] Horn follows in terms of talent, but 2024 marked the first time he played over 1,000 snaps, and he earned just a 59.1 coverage grade. The Panthers need both of those players healthy and performing at a high level. [Taylor] Moton continues to be a model of consistency, as he just earned a pass-blocking grade above 76.0 for the eighth straight season and finished fifth on the team in WAR at 0.30."Trevor Sikkema
Moton's been an ironman before last season when he missed three games. The edge protector isn't getting any younger, but there aren't many concerns surrounding the former second-round pick as he goes into the final year of his megabucks deal.
There were serious concerns around Horn entering 2024. The stud cornerback was an elite-level performer, but featuring in 22 games over his first three seasons raised alarm bells. He answered these emphatically, earning Pro Bowl honors and getting a lucrative extension ahead of time.
Brown's loss to a knee injury after just one game last season was a body blow. The Panthers didn't have the talent or the depth to effectively cope without the imposing interior force. He's reportedly going to be all systems go for training camp, which is going to make a huge difference.
If Moton, Horn, and Brown all get a clear run of luck on the health front and maintain their outstanding performance levels, the Panthers will be primed to make the NFL take notice for all the right reasons.
Anything less will have detrimental ramifications.