The Carolina Panthers invested heavily in the defensive trenches this offseason. General manager Dan Morgan recognized the desire to provide Ejiro Evero with the improved personnel needed to deploy his schematic concepts effectively. And as has typically been the case throughout his front-office leadership, he moved with aggression and conviction.
Evero's defense has made some encouraging strides this season. It's far from the finished article just yet, but it's night and day compared to the unit that gave up the most single-season points in NFL history and more than 3,000 rushing yards during the 2024 campaign.
However, their momentum came to an abrupt halt during Carolina's disastrous defeat to the Buffalo Bills at Bank of America Stadium. And one of the primary catalysts of the team's demise was their inability to contain running back James Cook III.
Carolina Panthers made their stance on Bobby Brown III crystal clear
Cook tormented the Panthers from start to finish. He gained 216 rushing yards and one touchdown from 19 carries, and Buffalo showed mercy on Carolina by taking the Georgia product out in the third quarter with the result wrapped up.
But despite Carolina's frailties versus the run in Week 8, free-agent signing Bobby Brown III was on the proverbial fringes.
He played just 29 percent of defensive snaps, which would have been even lower had Derrick Brown not gone out of the game with a knee injury that doesn't appear to be too serious. Tershawn Wharton (78%), A'Shawn Robinson (63%), and the Pro Bowler out of Auburn (70%) are the preferred trio. This stance was made crystal clear to fans in the Panthers' fourth loss of the season.
Brown linked back up with Evero in free agency, signing a three-year, $21 million deal with a $5.5 million signing bonus and $9.57 million guaranteed. The pair developed a close relationship from their time together on the Los Angeles Rams, and most experts expected him to slot into the team's starting nose tackle spot vacated by Shy Tuttle.
That job went to Robinson, despite his reluctance to occupy the anchor role last season. Brown was initially projected as a surprising backup, but he got immediate work with the starting unit thanks to Wharton's injury problems. He played well, but not well enough to keep his place.
This probably isn't what the former Texas A&M standout had in mind upon joining the Panthers. Still, it's the troubling predicament he's now facing.
Evero has too much at stake to place sentiment into the equation. He clearly feels like Wharton, Robinson, and Brown represent a better trio. Unless injury strikes, that is unlikely to change.