Football is not played on paper. But until the real games begin in September, that’s all we have to go on.
That’s also where the Carolina Panthers have improved a great deal this offseason, particularly on their defensive depth chart. They’ve welcomed in a few big free-agent signees in linebackers Jaelan Phillips and Devin Lloyd, drafted standout Texas Tech lineman Lee Hunter and are expecting some second-year leaps from pass rushers Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen.
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And when you mix all of that in with the formidable presences that were already there, then the Panthers may have a top-10 defense in 2026—at least according to ESPN NFL analyst Mina Kimes . . .
Carolina’s defense is headed by their Pro Bowlers in tackle Derrick Brown and cornerback Jaycee Horn. The group has also seen defensive backs Tre’von Moehrig and Mike Jackson, who led the league with 19 passes defensed in 2025, establish themselves as key cogs to the machine.
Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero used all those pieces to take a substantial step forward from 2024, when the Panthers broke the single-season record for most points allowed. Carolina went from the 32nd overall defense from that year to 16th this past season, helping lead to the franchise’s first playoff appearance since 2017.
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If Brown and Horn can keep healthy, then the Panthers could actually have a top-10 unit—on paper and on the field.
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Improved Panthers defense receives high praise from top NFL analyst
