When the Carolina Panthers kick off their 2025 season against the Jacksonville Jaguars, much of the attention will be on quarterback Bryce Young’s continued development and how second-year head coach Dave Canales' offense will perform out of the gate. But there’s a hidden Week 1 advantage lurking that few are talking about.
Carolina’s quietly transformed run defense.
Anchored by Derrick Brown, who is coming off an injury-hit 2024 season, is back and healthy. He is ready to redo the 2023 season, where he was a Pro Bowler and set the NFL record for single-season tackles by an interior defensive lineman.
Defensive improvements can spearhead Carolina Panthers to Week 1 triumph
The Panthers' defensive front is deeper and more disruptive than it has been in years. Brown’s elite run defense grade made him a Pro Bowler in 2023 and one of the most underrated interior defenders. Now, he has help.
A’Shawn Robinson, a proven run-stopper and veteran leader, gives Carolina a one-two punch inside. The former Alabama star's presence forces offenses to account for more than just Brown, while his ability to generate pressure on passing downs frees up Carolina’s edge rushers.
Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero emphasized this point earlier in the week:
"Obviously, it starts with Derrick Brown, A'Shawn Robinson, Tershawn Wharton, Bobby Brown III, all of those guys have done a really good job, they've had a really good camp. They're ready to go. They're ready to go play, and so that's exciting; excited about what we're seeing from the edge guys as well, D.J. Wonnum, Patrick Jones II, the two young guys, Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen, DJ Johnson, Thomas Incoom, so all of these guys have really, really just improved all of their games, have really increased, they're all game ready and so we're excited to see what they can do."Ejiro Evero via Panthers.com
That depth was a clear offseason focus. Carolina added a mix of veterans and rookies across the front seven, ensuring that production won’t fall off when substitutions are made. In Week 1, that freshness could be the difference against a Jaguars offense heavily reliant on running back Travis Etienne Jr. and wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr.
Thomas was the explosive wide receiver in Jacksonville’s passing game in 2024. Etienne has been an engine for the rushing attack, capable of opening up the passing game for quarterback Trevor Lawrence. But if the Carolina’s front stifles him early, the Jaguars will be forced into one-dimensional play. That could expose rookie wide receiver Travis Hunter, who is making his NFL two-way debut and is still untested against pro secondaries.
The Panthers are ready for the Jaguars' two-headed monsters. Cornerbacks Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson Sr. are both healthy, and Evero has made no secret about his expectations for this revamped secondary:
"They have so many talented ball carriers and receivers like (Travis) Etienne and the two you talked about, (tight end Brenton) Strange. So they're a very talented group and they have a lot of guys that can really create problems in terms of their offensive skill set, so we know we've got a big challenge ahead of us."Ejiro Evero via Panthers.com
When Lawrence is put in obvious passing situations, Carolina’s defense can pin its ears back. Brown collapsing the pocket, Robinson attracting double teams, and a fresh rookie edge rusher like Prince Umanmielen coming off the edge will create sacks and chances for turnovers. The secondary, meanwhile, can play tighter coverage knowing Jacksonville's signal-caller has less time to find targets.
It's the kind of hidden advantage that doesn’t make preseason headlines but can define a season opener. For a Panthers team still searching for offensive consistency, winning in the trenches may be the way to control the game.