NFL analyst states the obvious on how to improve the Carolina Panthers

When you have the worst defense of all time, the only way to go is up.

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - DECEMBER 15: Jalen Tolbert #1 of the Dallas Cowboys catches a touchdown pass against Xavier Woods #25 of the Carolina Panthers during the third quarter at Bank of America Stadium on December 15, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. / (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

Football is an exceedingly complex game with countless factors going into every win and every loss. However, sometimes it's not that difficult to see where a team needs help. In the case of the Carolina Panthers, even the most casual of fans can see that their defense is their weakness.

The good news is that it really can't get any worse from here. Having allowed more points than any team in NFL history, the only direction they can go in is up... right? It's certainly difficult to see how this unit could get any worse going into the 2025 offseason.

Gary Davenport at Bleacher Report has put together a list of how to help the 10 worst teams around the NFL. For the Panthers, he stated the obvious in saying they need to get much better defensively.

B/R on Carolina Panthers defense

"However, if Young is going to build on that success and the Panthers are going to start stacking some wins, Carolina's defense needs a fairly thorough overhaul...because it was terrible last season. The Panthers were the only team in the NFL to allow over 400 yards of offense per game in 2024. They were the only team in the NFL to surrender more than 30 points per game in 2024. Carolina's 32 sacks were tied for the third-fewest in the league."

Jul 30, 2024; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers Derrick Brown (95) and linebacker Jadeveon Clowney (7) at Carolina Panthers Practice Fields. / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The Panthers need help at all three levels, but that last note should probably be the thing they address first. A strong pass rush will help take the pressure off Carolina's secondary, which may currently have the worst starting safety combination in the game.

To get there, the Panthers will need to boost their interior pass rush game more than anything. With Derrick Brown returning to the lineup healthy in 2025 they're at least halfway there. However, they'll need to add another difference-maker inside if they're really going to improve in this department.

In the draft, Michigan's Mason Graham is considered the top interior prospect in this class, but there's no guarantee he'll still be on the board when the Panthers are on the clock with the 8th overall pick. In free agency, some of the top interior options include D.J. Jones, B.J. Hill and Javon Kinlaw.

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