NFL analyst makes exciting prediction about the Panthers' 2026 defense

The expectations for the Carolina Panthers have risen quite considerably following their NFC South-winning campaign in 2025. And that's thanks, in large part, to the drastic overhaul to a once-historically bad unit.

>Just two years ago, the Panthers allowed an NFL-record 534 points in 2024. But since then, they leaped into the middle of the pack and have made a number of big-time additions.

>That's why Conor Orr at Sports Illustrated, who shared 100 bold predictions for the 2026 season earlier this week, forecasted a top-10 finish from the Panthers defense. Orr writes:

This won’t qualify as “bold” for those who aren’t Panthers fans and have not endured watching some of the absolute worst defensive seasons in recent NFL history. Carolina was a league-worst 32nd in 2024 and clawed back—depending on your metric of choice—to between 20th and 16th during last season’s surprise playoff run. Now, with the additions of playmakers such as Devin Lloyd and Jaelan Phillips, the Panthers are primed to weaponize their defense for the first time in the Dave Canales era.

It's worth pointing out that the Panthers were missing their best player for most of 2024, when Pro Bowl defensive lineman Derrick Brown suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 1. With Brown's return in 2025, the group ranked 16th in yards allowed and 15th in points allowed.

>Along with receiving his overdue recognition, Brown also got some help from playmakers such as rookie outside linebacker Nic Scourton, safety Tre'von Moehrig and the cornerback tandem of Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson. Carolina's free-agent signees in Phillips and Lloyd should only keep the arrow pointing up.

>If defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero can bring his pass rush up to par, then Orr might've nailed at least one of his 100 predictions.

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>This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: NFL analyst makes exciting prediction about the Panthers' 2026 defense