After years of instability and one of the league’s worst defensive stretches in recent memory, the conversation around the Carolina Panthers has changed dramatically entering the 2026 season.
And according to NFL analyst Brian Baldinger, the Panthers may be building something much bigger than just a respectable defense.
“I feel like they’re building a monster on that side of the ball right now and I think that’s how they have to play,” Baldinger said. “They have to play like they can shut teams down this year. I think it’s on them to really guide this team right now.”
Carolina Panthers defense could take the league by storm in 2026
The biggest swing came with the signing of edge rusher Jaelan Phillips.
The Panthers handed Phillips a four-year, $120 million contract, making him the highest-paid player in franchise history. That price tag is pretty high. Phillips has yet to post a double-digit sack season, but Carolina is betting on traits.
If the Panthers are right, Phillips could completely change the ceiling of this defense.
They also had one of the most underrated linebacker additions of the offseason in Devin Lloyd. Carolina badly needed more speed, range, and playmaking ability in the middle of the field, and Lloyd brings all three. Some around the league believe he could end up being the Panthers’ most impactful signing of the entire offseason.
There is also growing belief that Lloyd could become the closest thing Carolina has had to a true defensive centerpiece since Luke Kuechly retired.
That is not a comparison that should be thrown around lightly, but Lloyd’s versatility changes everything. He can blitz, cover, diagnose plays quickly, and do whatever else Ejiro Evero decides to cook up.
Carolina finally found Derrick Brown a legitimate running mate by drafting Texas Tech defensive tackle Lee Hunter in the second round. With Turk Wharton now sidelined indefinitely following neck surgery, Hunter may be forced into an important role much earlier than expected.
That may not be a bad thing.
The Panthers have desperately needed more size and physicality next to Brown, especially against the run. Hunter gives them a powerful interior presence who could free up opportunities for the edge rushers while helping the entire front become more disruptive.
For years, Carolina’s defense was something the offense had to survive. Now, it may become the reason this team can legitimately contend again in the NFC.
And around the NFL, people are finally starting to notice.
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