For the past few seasons, the Carolina Panthers have consistently underwhelmed in one key area of their defense. For the past two offseasons, general manager Dan Morgan has worked to build the team's pass rush into a unit that people will hopefully come to fear.
During the Panthers' preseason loss to the Buffalo Bills, the pass rush flashed more than it had done in the last handful of years combined.
Granted, it is the preseason, and you won't see the full bag of tricks that the defensive coordinator may show when the real action begins. But it was encouraging nonetheless.
Carolina Panthers may have found their pass rush ahead of the regular season
Take it as you will, but Carolina was finding ways to the quarterback in their second preseason game with starters on the field. It is a positive sign after some poor campaigns and the losses of standout rushers.
Morgan has been sifting his way through free agency and the NFL Draft to rebuild his pass rush since taking charge of Carolina's front office.
Last year, it was the drafting of Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen in back-to-back selections on Day 2. The Panthers signed Patrick Jones II in free agency. This offseason, the Panthers added star outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips on a four-year, $120 million deal with $80 million in guaranteed money.
Despite losing Scourton to a torn ACL on the first day of training camp, the Panthers showcased confidence in their depth by bringing in Cam Gill, the UFL Defensive Player of the Year. Along with the midseason acquisition of Trevis Gipson last fall, Carolina has depth they can lean on, and it was on full display at Highmark Stadium.
Phillips had a handful of pressures and a sack on Bills superstar quarterback Josh Allen, while Umanmielen had a few hurries on the quarterback as well. Big-ticket free-agent linebacker Devin Lloyd added a pressure as well.
Gipson was involved, along with Gill, who has had a great camp, putting on another good game on tape and making a strong case for the 53-man roster.
These are encouraging signs that even when Evero is playing a basic defensive structure in the preseason, since you don't want to show all of your cards, the Panthers are getting home to the quarterback.
Evero is a coordinator who likes to use simulated pressures to create chaos along the line of scrimmage. With the pass rush and the creative looks and pressures being deployed, there is cause for excitement and intrigue.
With joint practices against the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans in the coming weeks, there will be more opportunities for Carolina's pass rush to flash, especially against both opponents' starters in camp.
If what Saturday showed with the first-team defense against the Bills' offensive line was any indication, the Panthers' defense is expected to take a nice step forward.
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