Carolina Panthers stud lays down the gauntlet with brutal assessment

Everyone knows how bad things were for the Carolina Panthers last season. Dwelling too much on their two-win campaign that brought nothing but embarrassment isn't going to do the new-look franchise any favors moving forward. It's time to turn the page and right some wrongs in 2024 and beyond.

The Panthers are firmly at rock bottom right now. Getting back into genuine playoff contention might take time. Going down the gradual route to progress with a long-term plan in place is the right course of action. This needs patience from team owner David Tepper and players to have a sense of personal pride after becoming the NFL's laughingstock in 2023.

It was easy for players to just go through the motions as another campaign spiraled into chaos. That's not the standard anymore, which means those who got stuck in their ways last time around must shape up or face the prospect of being shipped out.

Derrick Brown urges Carolina Panthers teammates to come together

Stud defensive lineman Derrick Brown laid down the gauntlet with a brutal assessment of the current state of affairs when speaking to Gabe McDonald from Charlotte Sports Live after Carolina's first training camp practice. He knows how the Panthers are being perceived around the league and called on teammates to fight together in the face of severe adversity.

"This is the best part of the year. It's the best part, man. It's one of those things where the guys coming back, you know, we wanna keep that same family atmosphere we had. You know, team-wise, defensive-wise, we want to be one. And you know, that's something I feel like we should have done last year. Be one and go and attack this challenge, man. We've gotta go out there and prove to everybody that it's not the same Panthers or the same sorry-ass Panthers no more. We've gotta go out there and do what we've gotta do."

- Derrick Brown

Brown is the team's best player and an emerging leader within the locker room. He was one of very few who emerged from the previous season with any credit, breaking the NFL's single-season tackle record for interior defensive lineman and earning his first Pro Bowl appearance. This was rewarded accordingly with a four-year, $96 million extension with $59.31 million guaranteed.

His voice carries a ton of weight. Brown doesn't want to spend the prime years of his blossoming career languishing among the league's bottom-feeders. The former first-round pick cares deeply about the organization and wants the best for himself and those he goes into battle with. He's also eager to set the tone that others must follow.

Things are looking up under Dave Canales. It's been a long time since fans could say that.

He's brought enthusiasm and purpose where once there was nothing but confusion and misery. Having continuity on the defensive staff should help despite the absence of several key figures from the previous campaign. Brown will be counted upon more than most, so the Auburn product must maintain his supreme consistency and also elevate those around him.

That's a lot to ask, but Brown is more than up for the challenge. Whether it'll be enough for others to meet their end of the bargain is another matter.