The Carolina Panthers finally got their first win of the 2025 season. And while there is much to celebrate, given the dominating nature of the win against a hated rival, there is one glaring issue that needs to be addressed.
Namely, the performance of Christian Rozeboom.
Rozeboom was brought over to help solidify a Panthers defense that struggled mightily over the last few years. The linebacker was elevated to the leading man after the release of Josey Jewell before the start of the preseason. There were plenty of questions about whether the former Los Angeles Rams role player would have been capable of filling that type of leadership role with limited starting time over his first few seasons.
Christian Rozeboom must become the leader this Carolina Panthers LB group needs
Those fears seem to have been realized after the first few games of the season.
The Panthers' defensive line has been a strong suit, especially against the run. The secondary has also been solid in coverage. This cannot be said of the linebacker corps, and Rozeboom is a primary reason for this.
When watching film, there are too many moments where the middle linebacker takes himself out of the play — either through poor angles, missed assignments, or an inability to shed blocks. That's without counting the multiple missed tackles.
It is almost as if Rozeboom is magnetized to pulling linemen or tight ends blocking upfield, not to mention the chunk yardage that teams have been able to accrue by targeting the area behind the linebacker in zone schemes.
This is not to say that Rozeboom is not a talented player. In a lesser role, the linebacker could very well shine. It just seems like the responsibilities of leading the defense are a bit too much to handle. Especially when you consider the relative lack of production from the other members of that group and the need for strong leadership that those young players need.
Beyond all of that, the only evidence you need that there is an issue is the fact that any time Derrick Brown and Bobby Brown III went off the field, the Atlanta Falcons were able to do whatever they wanted in the run game.
While both Browns are fantastic players against the run, they cannot be there every single play. The Panthers need to trust their linebackers to hold the line.
Rozeboom is the weakest link in this defense. He needs to shape up soon because there aren't any better options on the roster.