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Top Three Needs 1 - Edge Rusher Carolina's surprise playoff appearance was largely fueled by a big jump forward from the defense, going from one of the worst units in NFL history in 2024 (literally, they set a new record for points allowed), to right around league average in 2025. They were better against the pass than the run, ranking seventh in the league with 20 passing touchdowns allowed. The Panthers did all of this despite ranking 31st in the NFL in pressure rate and notching only 30 sacks on the season. Nose tackle Derrick Brown and second-round OLB Nic Scourton tied for the team lead with five apiece. Bringing significantly more juice to this part of the defense has to be the top priority for Carolina this offseason. Scourton projects as a quality starter going forward, and time will tell what his true pass-rush ceiling is. The Panthers double-dipped on Day 2 of the draft last year with him and OLB Princely Umanmielen, who played less than a quarter of the snaps. It would not be shocking to see the Panthers take another aggressive approach, using one of their top picks on another edge rusher while targeting a big move in free agency. Wonnum probably won't be back. 2 - Linebacker Panthers DC Ejiro Evero learned under Eagles DC Vic Fangio, who runs one of the most popular and effective defensive schemes in the league right now. It's built to keep a lid on offenses and take away the explosive play, rallying forward against the run and shorter passes while trying to take advantage of turnover opportunities that come up more on longer drives. When allocating resources, the defensive line and cornerback groups tend to be prioritized But a great linebacker group can be the finishing piece to take a defense in this scheme over the top. Last year, opponents had most of their success when they attacked the linebackers in the middle of the field, testing their range with play action and horizontal concepts. Injuries limited Trevin Wallace from taking a step forward and Christian Rozeboom was pressed into a big role after the loss of Josey Jewell to concussion symptoms.