The Carolina Panthers made some hefty investments in their defense throughout free agency. This was almost guaranteed after fans suffered one embarrassment after another where Ejiro Evero's unit is concerned in 2024.
Tershawn Wharton was arguably their biggest acquisition. Others will also contribute, but the Panthers believe having another explosive force on Evero's 3-4 front could be enough to see progress arrive quickly.
Wharton is coming off a career year with the Kansas City Chiefs. The Panthers are confident this newfound success won't be fleeting, giving the lineman a three-year, $45 million contract that also came with $30.25 million guaranteed after missing out on Milton Williams.
This transaction has to go in Carolina's favor. The Panthers have other options on the defensive front. They also have a legitimate nose tackle for the first time since Evero came on board. However, the money attached to Wharton comes with added expectations that must be met.
Carolina Panthers insider believes Derrick Brown holds the key to Tershawn Wharton's success
Joe Person from The Athletic thought 2025 would be a pivotal campaign for Wharton. The potential concerns are obvious, but the insider believes he can have success if Derrick Brown becomes a Chris Jones-like presence that frees up enough space for his new teammate to do damage.
"[Tershawn] Wharton didn’t get [Milton] Williams money. But his three-year, $45 million contract — with $30.25 million guaranteed — was substantial for a player who never had more than two sacks over his first four seasons before breaking out with 6.5 last year. It helped that Wharton played alongside Chris Jones, who occupied plenty of blockers. But the Panthers have their own Pro Bowl defensive lineman in Derrick Brown, who was impressed with Wharton’s work ethic during the offseason program."Joe Person
Brown is widely regarded as one of the league's best interior linemen. He almost always double-teamed. Sometimes, it takes three guys to successfully prevent him from getting into the backfield. Couple this with Bobby Brown III's ability to clog up space as Carolina's new 3-4 anchor, and Wharton should have plenty of opportunities to make his presence felt.
It won't take long to figure out if Wharton was a good signing or if the contract was a bad decision by those in power. He's got enough experience to transition smoothly. But not having Jones to depend upon alongside him could go either way.
Stepping out of his shadow with relentless force is the only way this signing is going to bear fruit. Whether Wharton is capable is another matter.
The Panthers are banking on their defensive front to set the tone. They made a big financial commitment to Wharton as their marquee acquisition of the spring. They are also expecting an immediate return on their investments.
Otherwise, it won't take long for doubts to surface.