The Carolina Panthers are expected to be dependent on their offense this season, making their preseason loss to the Houston Texans sting. The first team unit looked lethargic against Will Anderson Jr. and a star-powered defense, and things didn't get much better after that.
In the wake of a loss that had Dave Canales looking demoralized, there were few silver linings to be gleaned. The Panthers’ defense is in a developmental phase, but Ejiro Evero’s unit did flash at points. Christian Rozeboom had a sack in the red zone, and the presence of Derrick Brown was felt for the first time in a game since Week 1 of 2024.