The Carolina Panthers open the 2026 season against the Chicago Bears, and one of the biggest battles could happen before quarterback Caleb Williams even releases the football.
Disguised coverages.
According to Fantasy Points Data, the Panthers disguised their coverage on 45.8 percent of their defensive plays in 2025, the highest rate in the NFL. Williams, meanwhile, ranked 10th among quarterbacks in fantasy points per dropback against static coverages at 0.55.
The Panthers disguised their coverage more often than any defense last season (45.8%)
— Graham Barfield (@GrahamBarfield) September 7, 2026
Caleb Williams was QB10 in fantasy points/dropback vs. static coverages (0.55), but sixth-worst vs. disguises (0.32 FP/DB) in 2025@FantasyPtsData pic.twitter.com/lnrDNyxx4Z
Against disguised coverages, that number dropped to 0.32, which ranked sixth-worst in the NFL. That is a pretty interesting number heading into this particular matchup.
Carolina Panthers can use disguised coverages to make Caleb Williams uncomfortable
The whole point of disguised coverage is simple. It makes the quarterback think he's seeing one thing before the snap and something different after.
And defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero knows precisely how to do this within his 3-4 base system.
That can mean showing a two-high safety look and rotating into a single-high coverage. It can mean showing one type of zone before the snap and changing the picture to a different coverage alignment once the play is in motion.
And Carolina has the personnel to make that matter.
Pro Bowl defensive lineman Derrick Brown is a genuine game-wrecker who demands double teams on every snap. Big-money edge rusher Jaelan Phillips gives the Panthers another pass rush threat.
Devin Lloyd and Bobby Okereke bring Carolina linebacker experience. Rookie second-round nose tackle Lee Hunter has earned his starting role, but he'll need to grow up quickly versus the Bears' offensive line.
Carolina Panthers' improved defensive personnel can make Caleb Williams' head spin
That's a much different challenge for Williams than simply dropping into a defense and waiting for him to make a mistake. The Panthers can make him figure out the coverage first, but it's also worth remembering how good the former USC phenom is at playing off-structure.
If the Panthers can disguise their coverage and still get pressure without sending extra rushers, Williams could be forced into some uncomfortable decisions. But if he correctly identifies what the Panthers are doing, Chicago has enough talent to punish them.
That's why this could be one of the most important battles of the game.
Williams has already shown he can handle NFL defenses when things are relatively clear. Carolina gets a chance to test whether he can consistently win when the picture changes after the snap.
And that could be the key to slowing down Chicago's potentially potent passing attack.
The Panthers don't need to shut Williams down for this to work. They just need to make him think and hesitate a little longer.
And considering how often Carolina disguised its coverage last season, that may be exactly what it has planned for the Bears' quarterback at Bank of America Stadium this weekend.
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