Now that the 2025 season is in the books and the preparations for the 2026 offseason are well underway, we're going to take a look at where the Panthers stand for the future at each position. We'll cover one position group per day through the next two weeks, offering a look at where things stand in advance of free agency and the draft. The series started last Monday with a look at the offensive line, then running backs on Tuesday, quarterbacks on Wednesday, tight ends on Thursday, and wide receivers on Friday.

CHARLOTTE — What a difference a Derrick Brown makes.

The Panthers saw it first-hand last year, when their star defensive tackle returned to the lineup after missing all but one game in 2024 with a knee injury.

Brown was the biggest part, but not the only part, of a stabilization up front that allowed the Panthers the ability make big strides on defense last season.

The group that in 2024 was last in the league, set a league record for points allowed, and gave up the third-most rushing yards in league history, vaulted up to the middle of the pack in most rankings, and that started with being stouter up front. They ranked 15th in the league in points allowed and 16th in yards allowed in 2025.

No offense to any of the guys here previously, but they addressed the position in bulk last year, signing free agents Tershawn Wharton and Bobby Brown III, drafting Cam Jackson in the fifth round, and adding an undrafted developmental player in Jared Harrison-Hunte that they put on the active roster to preserve when another team wanted to sign him off the practice squad.

That kind of movement was a sign of intent and what needed to happen.

UNDER CONTRACT FOR 2026: Derrick Brown (2028), Bobby Brown III (2027), A'Shawn Robinson (2026), Tershawn Wharton (2027), Cam Jackson (2028), Jared Harrison-Hunte (2026), Popo Aumavae (2026).

UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: None

RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: LaBryan Ray

WHAT WENT RIGHT IN 2025

Again, Derrick Brown happened in a way he previously had not.

He put up a career-best 5.0 sacks last season, and matched a career-high with seven passes defensed. He had three against the Jets, and the ball he batted against the Rams led to a Nick Scott interception. He also had a sack-fumble that day to seal the win.

He was the only interior lineman with 5.0 sacks and seven PDs this season, and since he entered the league in 2020, only Cam Heyward, DeForest Buckner, and Jeffery Simmons have done it. He has 28 passes defensed since he was drafted, the second-most among linemen in that span.

Brown also had 45 run stops (as defined by Next Gen Stats), tied for fourth-most in the league. It's the third time in four seasons he's hit 40 or more (again, he missed an entire year in 2024), and only Heyward and Maxx Crosby have done that.

So yeah, if you have theories as to why he didn't make the Pro Bowl, we'd love to hear them.

And with the additions, the entire group stabilized, and they found a number of players they know can play roles into the future.

NEXT STEPS FOR 2026

Some of the work they needed to do for the future came last year.

Wharton was limited to nine games because of injuries, so getting him back to health would add another impact rusher. He had 2.0 sacks last year, but posted 8.5 the year before with the Chiefs. And in spurts last year, he showed signs of the kind of disruptive presence he could be next to Derrick Brown.

And they used Cam Jackson more and more as the year went on, as he was active for the final four regular-season games and the playoffs, and steadily increased his snap counts. With his size (6-6, 328), and the fact he's just 23, he's got the potential to do more.

They could continue to add there, and have some decisions to make. Veteran A'Shawn Robinson's still a productive player, but the combination of a big cap number and turning 31 next month has to be considered. But he remains a quality player, and he carried a heavy load in 2024 when Derrick was injured, and remains a valuable leader for the group. The steady LaBryan Ray is a restricted free agent, but he's proven to be trustworthy over the last few years, and has value as a rotational player.

The Panthers have put a premium on bringing in younger players under general manager Dan Morgan, and Wharton (27) and Bobby Brown (25) being targets in free agency last year was a signal that's something he values. And as they continue to build for 2026 and beyond, keeping that front strong is something Morgan puts a high value on.