Panthers’ starters on defense starting to gel. Let’s project Carolina’s depth chart
It was clear last season that Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Phil Snow was building something.
The young core of Brian Burns, Jeremy Chinn and Derrick Brown has serious potential. All the younger players needed was some more veterans. The Panthers did that this offseason, strengthening both their defensive line and defensive back rooms with players like Haason Reddick, DaQuan Jones and A.J. Bouye.
The Panthers have the tools to be better. They just have to stay healthy.
Here is our early depth chart projection for the Panthers’ defense:
Defensive end
Starters: Brian Burns, Morgan Fox.
Reserves: Yetur Gross-Matos, Marquis Haynes, Austin Larkin, Christian Miller.
Burns should be set up for big season now that he has some help on the defensive line. He had nine sacks last year, but he’s expecting double digits this year. The addition of players like Jones, Reddick and Fox will take some attention off of Burns.
Fox brings a veteran presence to the Panthers and has been solid in camp so far. Some of the younger players have said they’ve looked to him for advice. Gross-Matos, who is entering Year 2, should be a factor as well.
But he has played mostly with the second team defense in camp.
Defensive tackle
Starters: Derrick Brown, DaQuan Jones.
Reserves: Morgan Fox, Braavion Roy, Daviyon Nixon.
Last week, linebacker Shaq Thompson said he expects Brown to have a breakout season this year. Brown was drafted seventh overall in the 2020 draft and showed flashes of potential, especially late last season when he had two sacks against the Green Bay Packers in Week 14.
Jones was an underrated acquisition. The Panthers needed an additional pass rusher up the middle to help the edge rushers. Jones provides that, and he has been consistent. He has missed only four games in the past six years and has started in every game he has played in during that span.
Fox can also play inside, and Roy is entering his second season.
Linebacker
Starters: Jermaine Carter, Shaq Thompson, Haason Reddick.
Reserves: Denzel Perryman, Julian Stanford, Clay Johnston.
Carter has had a good camp, having forced a fumble and taking on the leadership role with Thompson out. Thompson is the leader of this defense, though, and will continue to start. Reddick brings a much-needed pass rush to the Panthers defense.
The Panthers also added Perryman, who has played some with the first-team defense, and some with the second team. He should play a significant role this season, though.
Johnston is the surprise here. But he took some first-team reps on Thursday, which signifies he’s having a good camp and could make the team.
Safety
Starters: Jeremy Chinn, Juston Burris.
Reserves: Sam Franklin, Sean Chandler, Myles Hartsfield, Kenny Robinson Jr.
Chinn has fully made the move to safety, and Burris will start again opposite of Chinn. Panthers coach Matt Rhule has said that Franklin would likely be the primary backup behind Chinn, and that the coaching staff views Franklin as a player with starter potential.
Franklin started in four games last season as a rookie. The other reserves, however, don’t have much experience.
Cornerback
Starters: Donte Jackson, Jaycee Horn.
Reserves: A.J. Bouye, Raashan Melvin, Troy Pride Jr., Stantley-Thomas Oliver, Keith Miller.
Bouye will miss the first two games because of a suspension, but the Panthers are fairly deep at cornerback. Horn will likely start opposite of Donte Jackson, and veteran Raashan Melvin will also get some playing time.
Pride, who started in eight games as a rookie, has struggled in camp and has fallen behind on the depth chart. Rhule said Bouye has been dealing with a soft tissue strain this week.
But when Bouye comes back, his playing time will likely tick up.
Punt return
Starter: David Moore.
Reserve: Shi Smith.
Moore has gotten the majority of the returns in practice. He returned 12 punts for 111 yards in 2020 when he played for the Seahawks. He should fill the same role for the Panthers, who haven’t found a consistent returner in recent years.
Kick return
Starter: Trenton Cannon.
Reserve: Shi Smith.
Cannon was one of the Panthers’ best special teams players in 2020. He returned 10 kicks for 298 yards, including a 98-yard return in 2020.
Smith’s experience at South Carolina returning punts and kicks should put him in a position to be a backup.
This story was originally published August 6, 2021 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Panthers’ starters on defense starting to gel. Let’s project Carolina’s depth chart."
