The 10 best defensive linemen in Carolina Panthers franchise history

Entering year No. 30, the Carolina Panthers have a rich history on their defensive line. One only has to look back at the league's history to realize how vital this area of the field is.

The likes of Aaron Donald and Myles Garrett have wreaked havoc in recent years. Players from a different era, the likes of Mean Joe Greene and Warren Sapp, were utterly dominant.  

Despite the relative infancy of the Panthers franchise, the team has had a plethora of exceptional players line up on the defensive line. We’re diving into some of the best in a special top-10 ranking.

Criteria for selection

When breaking down the selection process for this list, a multitude of factors have gone into the selection process. You can’t ignore the statistical part of this research, sacks, tackles for loss, and tackles all play a key part.

Of course, there’s more to this than just simply statistics. Leadership is a key factor in the game of football. Having the ability to impact your team in ways other than on-field production is vital.  

You’ll see longevity is a factor in the decision-making. In Panthers' history, they’ve had several fantastic players, but the issues of injuries derailed their time in the Queen City. A certain former franchise quarterback and star linebacker come to mind.  

Memorable moments can have a lasting sentimental impact. Those who may be behind other players statistically can only propel themselves up the charts with a play that lives long in the memory.

Without further ado, let’s take a deep dive into the top 10 defensive linemen in Carolina Panthers franchise history.  

The 10 best defensive linemen in Carolina Panthers franchise history

10. Brentson Bucker

We start this list with one of the biggest players. Veteran defensive tackle Brentson Bucker was just shy of his 30th birthday when he came to Carolina after a three-year stint with the San Francisco 49ers. 

The hulking defensive lineman certainly left his mark. Along with a few other names coming on this list, he formed part of the most formidable defensive line, especially against the run, in franchise history.

Under head coach John Fox, the Panthers had one of the league's best defensive units with Buckner a key part on the defensive line. This unit reached the 2003 Super Bowl and the 2005 NFC Championship game.  

Since retiring, Buckner has moved into coaching, starting his career as a high school coach in Charlotte before moving into the NFL. His most recent job was as the defensive line coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars.  

9. Greg Hardy

This will likely be an unpopular pick, and understandably so. But for this list, we’re focusing solely on Greg Hardy’s footballing career and what he did in a Panthers uniform.  

Originally a sixth-round pick out of Ole Miss in 2010, Hardy was a rotational piece in his first two seasons. The edge rusher burst onto the scene in his third year with the team, totaling 11 sacks.

He improved further in 2013 with 15 sacks - a joint franchise record as the Panthers won the NFC South with a 12-4 record. Unfortunately for Hardy, his career is a big 'what if'. A domestic violence conviction ended his career in Carolina.

Hardy played one season with the Dallas Cowboys in 2015 where he had six sacks in 12 games before embarking on an MMA career. Putting it nicely, this has failed miserably. 

8. Kevin Greene

It’s hard to put this list together without including one of the best to ever do it. Despite only three seasons with the Panthers, Pro Football Hall of Fame pass-rusher Kevin Greene left his mark on the team.  

Joining the team in the Panthers' second season, Greene led the team and the league with 14.5 sacks as the team reached the NFC Championship. After a year with the San Francisco 49ers, he returned to Carolina for two more campaigns, setting a franchise record at the time with 15 sacks in 1998.  

He also notoriously was given a one-game suspension for attacking linebacker coach Kevin Steele. Greene ended his final season with 12 sacks, taking him to 160 - the third most in NFL history behind Bruce Smith and Reggie White.  

Greene sadly passed away in 2020 at the age of just 58 after he suffered a heart attack at his Florida home.  

7. Kris Jenkins

Here's another member of that formidable Panthers defensive line in the John Fox era. Kris Jenkins was drafted No. 44 overall in 2001 out of Maryland. The 360-pound interior force made his presence felt almost immediately.

During his second season, Jenkins had a career-high seven sacks, earning his first of two first-team All-Pro honors with the Panthers. He is most remembered for his incredible performance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 2 of the 2003 season.

Jenkins blocked a field goal, and then incredibly what would have been a game-winning extra point with just five seconds remaining. The game went to overtime, which the Panthers won 12-9 on the way to the Super Bowl.

Unfortunately for Jenkins, his next two seasons were lost to injury as he featured in just five games. After two healthy seasons in 2006 and 2007, he was traded to the New York Jets the following season before retiring in 2011.

6. Mario Addison

It’s fair to argue that Mario Addison is probably the most underrated player on this list. Unfortunately, he suffered from the fact when he was playing his best football, the Panthers weren’t particularly good - except for the 2017 season.  

Originally an undrafted free agent out of Troy, Addison bounced around the league before being signed off Washington's practice squad in 2012. After being a solid rotational piece over the next few seasons, he came into his own in 2016.  

Over the next four campaigns, Addison totaled at least nine sacks every season as he became the Panthers premier pass rusher. His career has fallen away slightly since leaving Carolina in 2020, but he still totaled seven sacks for the Buffalo Bills in 2021. 

At 36 years old, Addison finds himself a free agent. But his 55.5 sacks are good enough for fourth most in franchise history.  

5. Derrick Brown

We finally have our first and spoiler alert, only current Panther in this list. This is a damming indictment of the state of the franchise. The first-round pick in 2020 has done a complete 180 on his career.  

After an average first two seasons, and a particularly challenging campaign opener in 2022, many fans, - myself included - were questioning Brown being a top-10 pick. He has proved all of us wrong, turning himself into one of the league's best at the position which was shown by the four-year, $96 million contract he signed this offseason.  

Brown was utterly dominant in 2023. His 103 total tackles were the most by a defensive tackle in NFL history, surpassing the 98 accumulated by Christian Wilkins. The former Auburn star has quickly become a cornerstone of this team.  

If Brown’s pass-rushing numbers were higher, he’d be cracking the top three of this list. But don’t let that detract from the importance of the player.  

4. Kawann Short

This was a tossup between Brown and Kawann Short. For his performance in the 2015 season, Short just gets the edge. He was nothing short of unplayable in the best campaign in Panthers franchise history.  

Not only were his 11 sacks a career-high, he also had 16 tackles for loss. It was a regular sight for fans to see the former Purdue Boilermaker in the backfield throughout that memorable season. After being tied for the league lead in sacks amongst defensive tackles, he was unsurprisingly named to the Pro Bowl and voted second-team All-Pro.

In the Panthers' NFC Championship win over the Seattle Seahawks, it was Short’s presence in the backfield that caused an errant throw from Russell Wilson straight to Luke Kuechly for a pick-six. Injuries derailed his career after signing a five-year contract extension in 2017.

Short played 14 games the next season. But a persistent shoulder issue meant No. 99 played just five games over the next two years and he became a salary-cap casualty.

3. Mike Rucker

The third member of that formidable defensive line and the first of the top three on this list. A top 40 pick out of Nebraska in 1999, Mike Rucker was a key part of John Fox’s defenses that terrorized offenses league-wide.  

In 2003, he had by far his best season as the Panthers reached their first Super Bowl. Opposite the imposing Julius Peppers, the pair formed a tandem that rivaled the best in the league, Rucker had 12 sacks on his way to a Pro Bowl appearance as well as being voted the NFL Alumni Defensive Lineman of the Year.  

Rucker saw his career curtailed by injury after suffering an ACL tear in 2006. He retired less than 18 months later in April 2008, but his 55.5 sacks see him ranked third in franchise history.  

2. Charles Johnson

Charles Johnson put together a quietly excellent career. It’s a real surprise he never found himself selected for an All-Pro or Pro Bowl.

The former third-round pick out of Georgia had 67.5 sacks across his 11-year Carolina career, which is best for second in franchise history. His best year came in 2012 when he hit 12.5 sacks - the seventh-best individual campaign in the Panthers' three-decade existence.

When the Panthers were in the spotlight during the 2015 campaign, his season was hampered by injuries. Johnson had just one sack in nine games. However, he did have an impact in the postseason. 

His three sacks in the playoffs - including one in the Super Bowl - are tied with Kony Ealy for the most in a single postseason in franchise history. Johnson also holds the record for most sacks by a Panthers player in the playoffs with five.  

Johnson retired in August 2018 having been released by the team six months earlier, spending his entire career in Carolina.  

1. Julius Peppers

There was only ever going to be one player at No. 1, and that’s the first true Panther to have a bust in Canton.  

Julius Peppers made an immediate impact after being drafted No. 2 overall by the Panthers in 2002. The defensive end's 12 sacks right out of the gate saw him collect the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award. A glittering career in Carolina, Chicago, and Green Bay saw him collect three All-Pro selections, nine Pro Bowls, as well as being voted to the NFL All-Decade team for both the 2000s and 2010s.

Peppers' 97 sacks are far and away the most in Panthers franchise history and will be tough to beat. The former North Carolina standout ended his career with 159.5 total sacks, which is fourth most in league history.  

Even when Peppers returned to Carolina in 2017 at the age of 37, he was still dominant. He notched 11 sacks, becoming only the third player in NFL history to record 10 or more sacks so late into their career. He also - alongside Donavon McNabb - became the second person to play in both the Super Bowl and NCAA Basketball Final Four.  

Peppers' 14.5 sacks in 2008 are tied with Kevin Greene for second most in a single season in franchise history. A truly dominant player and one of the best edge rushers in league history, Peppers was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.  

The best defensive linemen in Carolina Panthers franchise history by sacks

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