The Carolina Panthers had multiple injuries derail their playoff run last season, yet one that is under discussed happened all the way in Week 6.Â
Carolina signed edge rusher Patrick Jones II in the 2025 offseason to bolster a defensive front seven that was one of, if not the worst, against the run in 2024. But they also needed the pass rush juice he could provide.
Over the first six weeks, Jones played in only four games, yet he led the entire defense with 13 pressures. The former Pittsburgh standout showed his ability to rush from all techniques, playing 9, 7, 5, and 3-tech, while remaining a great run defender, recording eight defensive stops on nine tackles.Â
Carolina Panthers' defensive upgrades could actually help Patrick Jones II
That prowess and versatility as a pass rusher would have been key to ending that final drive against Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford in the playoffs, where it seemed as if defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero’s front couldn't lay a finger on the 2025 NFL MVP.
Unfortunately, a herniated disc in his lower back forced Jones to get season-ending surgery, ending his campaign before Carolina's run.Â
Some would think adding Jaelan Phillips and the emergence of second-year edge Nic Scourton would write the end of Jones as a contributor in Carolina, but I beg to differ.
After reviewing the tape, Jones did most of his damage as an interior rusher, destroying guards with his blend of footspeed and strength inside. The same can be said for Scourton and Phillips, who also dominated matchups when they went in between the tackles.
The versatility of those top-three rushers gives the Panthers multiple ways to align players to hide their blitzes and drops to confuse quarterbacks. It will also allow Evero to pinpoint specific matchups along offensive lines and create one-on-ones by shifting players around.
Lining up against a front of Derrick Brown, Jones, Phillips, and Scourton, while amazing blitzers in Tre’von Moehrig, Lathan Ransom, and Trevin Wallace roam the line of scrimmage, is a scary proposition.
You'll never know who is dropping and who is coming. This can lead to horrible mismatches for the offense and, even worse, leave rushers unblocked.Â
That element of pass-rush versatility was missing for a major chunk of a season. It forced Evero to play less aggressively and less creatively than he wanted to.
That’s why adding talent to this front seven actually does not hurt the role of Jones. Instead, it will magnify his strengths and could make him a fan favorite by the end of the 2026 campaign.
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