The Carolina Panthers have plenty of reasons to be excited about their edge-rushing group entering the 2026 season. But with Nic Scourton out for the year, others have opportunities.
Jaelan Phillips is expected to lead the way after joining the Panthers this offseason. Patrick Jones II and Princely Umanmielen are also expected to play meaningful roles, while Thomas Incoom remains another young option in the rotation and a core special-teams presence.
There is also Trevis Gipson, who made a compelling case for more involvement in the preseason.
Trevis Gipson aced Carolina Panthers' preseason audition in his quest for more involvement
He probably isn't the first name that comes to mind when looking at Carolina's pass rush. That could change once the regular season gets underway.
Gipson had an excellent preseason, finishing as the Panthers' highest-graded player, according to Pro Football Focus. He posted an 86.5 overall grade and a pass rush grade above 90, generating six pressures on just 33 pass-rushing snaps.
Preseason production can be misleading, especially with a relatively small sample size. But Gipson's performance does give Carolina a reason to give a veteran pass rusher a legitimate opportunity in the rotation.
The Panthers' edge group looks much deeper than it did a year ago, even without Scourton's availability. However, that doesn't mean Gipson won't have chances to stake a stronger claim when his number is called.
Carolina's ascending defense is going to need more pressure from the front, particularly after losing some pieces from last year's group. Having a veteran who can step onto the field in obvious passing situations and attack the quarterback gives the Panthers another way to manufacture pressure.
And Gipson is making all the right noises.
There is also a little more evidence that Gipson's preseason success wasn't completely random.
He has repeatedly shown flashes as a pass rusher during his career, including his seven-sack season with the Chicago Bears. The problem has been turning those flashes into consistent production.
Perhaps Carolina doesn't need him to do that over 700 defensive snaps. Maybe 25 or 30 quality snaps per game is enough.
That is what makes Gipson such an intriguing sleeper.
The Panthers don't need him to suddenly become their best edge rusher. They need a reliable veteran who can win some one-on-one matchups when given the chance.
If he does that, Gipson could wind up playing a much bigger role than his place on the depth chart initially suggests.
The Panthers have plenty of attention surrounding Phillips, Umanmielen, and Jones. Gipson may be the guy nobody is talking about who ends up making the occasional play that changes a game.
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