Holes abound, but on stands out below the rest
Last week we asked Panthers fans what they thought the biggest weakness on the current roster was. With an offense that often struggled to finish drives and a defense that gave up an NFL record number of points, we thought y’all might have some varied opinions. Turn out, not so much.
56% of y’all think that this team needs the most help at edge rusher. That makes a ton of sense for anybody who watched any of the Carolina Panthers‘ games from last year. The defense struggled to set the edge in the running game and to rush the passer. It was a lethal combination.
It is worth noting that things greatly improved with the return of DJ Wonnum from injury in the middle of the season. Unfortunately, that is as much a problem for the Panther now as it is a solution. Wonnum is in the final year of his contract, as is Jadaveon Clowney who currently starts opposite Wonnum in the front seven.
In fact, 2023 3rd round draft pick DJ Johnson is the only outside linebacker under contract for the Panthers in 2026 and beyond.
The remaining 44% of responses to this survey stayed largely concentrated on the defense. 97% of responses overall pointed to a defensive position group as the weakest on the roster currently. It’s a shame that this team only spent all seven of their draft picks on defense just five seasons ago.