Bleacher Report Power Ranks Defenses

[jfra78]

Guess where we rank

https://syndication.bleacherreport.com/amp/2889653-power-ranking-every-nfl-defense-after-the-2020-draft.amp.html

30. Carolina Panthers

Chris O'Meara/Associated Press

The Panthers are in a position similar to the Jaguars'.

First-year head coach Matt Rhule certainly made drafting defensive players a priority, which makes sense because, as ESPN's David Newton noted, new defensive coordinator Phil Snow likes to run "multiple schemes." In fact, all seven prospects drafted by the Panthers are on the defensive side of the ball.

There is certainly potential there. First-round pick Derrick Brown was one of the most athletic defensive tackles in the country last year, and he gives the Panthers a tremendous pass-rushing presence in the middle of the line. Carolina also selected Yetur Gross-Matos out of Penn State to slot in at one of the edge spots.

But there are plenty of questions. The most pressing one, of course, is how the Panthers will make up for the loss of five-time All-Pro Luke Kuechly.

Carolina signed former Las Vegas Raider Tahir Whitehead, though he is more of an outside linebacker, and Mario Addison left Carolina for the Buffalo Bills. Now, the Panthers are seemingly asking Shaq Thompson to fill an enormous void of both leadership and production due to Kuechly's retirement.

The Panthers also lost their top corner in James Bradberry and—aside from drafting Notre Dame corner Troy Pride Jr. in the fourth round—did not add much to the secondary.

Carolina ranked 25th in total DVOA last season, and Kuechly's departure makes improvement even harder.

To be clear, this is a unit with upside, especially given the prowess of guys like Brown and Gross-Matos. But there is also plenty of inexperience, especially when compared to other defenses around the league.

 

[jfra78]

Kinda surprised they don't have us dead last

[Dex]

I have no problem with this.

[MasterAwesome]

*Insert line about preferring underdog status here*

[Moose Hoover]

Keep your Chinn up

[Drk89Wng]

We won’t be as bad as last years statistically, but we will be bad from having to learn new concepts and so many new pieces to the defense.

[onmyown]

lol what the hell how do you rank a defense before anyone has even taken a training camp snap yet let alone a team that  for the first time in NFL history used all picks on defense? This is worse than draft grades

man I can’t imagine the mindless babble that will be created if football is cancelled altogether this year

 

’we’ll take into account things we can’t take into account’

[ForJimmy]

Makes sense. We don’t have many proven players on defense. Boston is ok, Shaq is good, KK was good but got banged up and the rest of our defense is mainly potential. Burns, Brown, YGM, and Chinn all have potential to be great. Shaq should be better with some DTs in front of him. Pride and Robinson COULD be steals. We just watch the young guys grow and get our QB in next year’s draft. It’s like we are rebuilding or something???

[onmyown]

hey guyz i just ranked r entire team for 2024 and we are def winning the superb owl

dont worry I took into account things I can’t take into account

let’s celebrate

[hepcat]

Pretty fair ranking. But unlike last year, which fielded a defense full of aging veterans and a complacent coaching staff, this defense is full of young athletic players and a hungry coaching staff eager to prove themselves at the pro level.

I, for one, think we have a lot of potential. It’s not going to be a great season, but it should be a growing season. Which is better than watching a declining team like we did in 2018 and 2019

[jfra78]

3 minutes ago, onmyown said:

hey guyz i just ranked r entire team for 2024 and we are def winning the superb owl

dont worry I took into account things I can’t take into account

let’s celebrate

I guess we could make another thread about Hurney

[4Corners]

30th? That’s way too high. On paper, we have the worst secondary in the league and it’s not even remotely close. 

[TheRumGone]

We’re gonna be a really bad team. These top 2 or hopefully 3 picks are building blocks for more draft picks and better play years down the road. All we can hope for is flashes. But Brady brees and Ryan are going to destroy us defensively.

also, I hate all three of those qbs but our young defense is going to learn a TON going up against those guys in this division.

[Tbe]