The Carolina Panthers are about to learn more about their defensive line depth than they might have hoped this early in the season.
Head coach Dave Canales confirmed that defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton will miss somewhere in the two-to-four-week range after suffering a hamstring injury in the team's disastrous Week 1 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Wharton logged 20 snaps in the opener before leaving the game, cutting short his debut as one of Carolina’s most notable offseason signings.
The lineman, who posted 8.5 sacks last season with the Kansas City Chiefs (including playoffs), was brought in during free agency to add disruptive interior pressure. Losing him for the next stretch of games means the Panthers will have to reshuffle their rotation up front, and that’s where Bobby Brown III comes in.
Carolina Panthers need Bobby Brown III to step up in Tershawn Wharton's absence
Brown, entering his fifth NFL season, is expected to see an immediate increase in snaps alongside Derrick Brown and veteran A’Shawn Robinson. Known for his strength and run-stopping ability, he has primarily been a depth piece throughout his career. Now, the Panthers need him to prove he can handle starter-level responsibility against some of the league’s toughest offensive lines.
The opportunity also carries urgency. Carolina’s run defense struggled at times last year and in Week 1. With Wharton sidelined, they can’t afford to lose ground in the trenches. Brown’s ability to clog lanes and generate push inside could be the difference between holding opponents in check or letting results slip away.
The Panthers still have rookie Jaden Crumedy and undrafted free agent Cam Jackson available to round out the rotation, but neither has the experience or pedigree of Wharton. That puts even more weight on Brown's development and consistency.
With Carolina’s defense built around controlling the line of scrimmage, Canales and defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero will be counting on Brown to stabilize the interior.
Injuries are inevitable in the NFL, but how teams respond defines seasons. For the Panthers, Wharton’s absence has created an early stress test for both their depth and their young defensive linemen.
This is Brown's chance to shift the perception of himself from a depth option to a difference maker. However, he also hobbled off against the Jaguars, so everything needs to be checked out on the health front before confidence increases.
If Brown formally announces himself, that kind of development could be one of the few positives to come out of an untimely injury.