When the Carolina Panthers kick off their 2025 season against the Jacksonville Jaguars, much of the attention will be on quarterback Bryce Young’s continued development and how second-year head coach Dave Canales' offense will perform out of the gate. But there’s a hidden Week 1 advantage lurking that few are talking about.
Carolina’s quietly transformed run defense.
Anchored by Derrick Brown, who is coming off an injury-hit 2024 season, is back and healthy. He is ready to redo the 2023 season, where he was a Pro Bowler and set the NFL record for single-season tackles by an interior defensive lineman.