The Carolina Panthers have enjoyed a history of talented pass rushers since the franchise's inception.
Whether it was Julius Peppers, Kevin Greene, Mike Rucker, Charles Johnson, Mario Addison, or Brian Burns, the Panthers have always had a standout pass rusher in each era of the organization.
In the team's current regime, they have yet to have a true standout, spending the last couple of campaigns searching for consistency and impact play.
After drafting two high-upside pass rushers in 2025 and securing a massive contract for one of the top pressure-rate defenders in the game this offseason, the Panthers suddenly have a pass rush with the potential to be unleashed on the NFL.
Carolina Panthers should benefit greatly from their edge-rushing investments
Two years after trading Burns to the New York Giants, general manager Dan Morgan made amends by drafting Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen with back-to-back draft picks last spring. He also landed Jaelen Phillips in free agency, who finished ninth in the NFL in total pressures (73), on a four-year, $120 million contract.
Carolina also signed Patrick Jones II last year. He was the team's best pass rusher in the first quarter of the campaign until a back injury placed him on season-ending injured reserve.
Across the board, it feels as though this Panthers pass rush is poised to take a major leap.
Carolina had the worst pressure rate in the entire league last year (26.2 percent) and the sixth-worst team sack rate (5.3 percent). But their long-term investments — with patience and development — could have a lasting impact this season.
Phillips is a perfect fit for defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, as he'll be playing in a system similar to the one he played in for years under Vic Fangio. He has a nasty inside swim move that can catch oversetting tackles off guard and has shown he is a stout run defender.
Scourton and Umanmielen's progression feels inevitable. The former was thrust into the starting lineup and flashed immense potential as a pass rusher, while the latter played sparingly but was disruptive when able. Both are incredibly young with high ceilings and could become stout defenders off the edge.
Then, Jones gives the Panthers inside-out versatility to attack opposing guards with speed-to-power and relentless effort to maintain disruptiveness. The Panthers have an intriguing group, though it is mainly projection at this rate.
Yet, that projection seems like a good one to bet on.
Evero's creativity in sim pressures and fire zones creates such conflict for opposing offenses, and we saw good bits of that last fall. This current group of Panthers pass rushers should benefit from this, as well as the interior pass rush of Derrick Brown, Lee Hunter, and a healthy Tershawn Wharton.
The upside is real with this group. There's always a chance it could blow up in the Panthers' face, but dare to dream of a serious development in productivity and impact off the edge.
It could become the best in the NFC South in time.
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