The Carolina Panthers have definitely taken major strides toward improvement since the second half of last season. Not only did Bryce Young show signs of breaking out, but the Panthers have had one heck of an offseason, landing some key free agents while also putting together an impressive NFL Draft haul.
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Of course, Carolina still has a long road ahead of it. The Panthers went just 5-12 last year and have not made the playoffs since the 2017-18 campaign, and even though they play in a rather weak NFC South, they probably don’t have quite enough to make a serious playoff run just yet.
However, Carolina is definitely on the right track, particularly when it comes to repairing a defense that was the worst in NFL history in 2024.
The Panthers are certainly making progress in that department, but this is a process, so they will also need to take steps to improve the unit next offseason, as well.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine is already ahead of the game in that regard and has linked Carolina to Denver Broncos edge rusher Nik Bonitto in 2026 free agency.
“The Panthers are one edge-rusher away from having a potentially elite defensive line. Adding Tershawn Wharton and Bobby Brown III to an interior that already has Derrick Brown has given Carolina a strength to build around,” Ballentine wrote. “It’s also fair to wonder if Patrick Jones II, D.J. Wonnum and rookies Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen can take advantage on the outside.”
Ballentine’s answer? Bonitto.
“It’s a lock that Nik Bonitto would be able to,” he continued. “The Broncos edge-rusher broke out with 13.5 sacks in his first full season as a starter for Denver. His speed and bend around the edge are unlike anything the Panthers have on the roster right now and Denver hasn’t extended him yet.”
The Broncos selected Bonitto in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft, and after an unimpactful rookie campaign, he proceeded to post 30 tackles and eight sacks the following year. He then racked up those 13.5 sacks to go along with 48 tackles, an interception and a couple of forced fumbles last season.
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Carolina’s pass rush ranked toward the bottom of the league in 2024, and while the Panthers did spend considerable time addressing the unit the past several months, they could certainly use more talent along the edge.
Bonitto may prove too expensive for Denver to retain, which would open the door for Carolina to swoop in and steal him from the AFC West squad.
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