Bears Offense Weighs in on Panthers Defensive Tackle Derrick Brown

It's hard to miss Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Derrick Brown. 

At 6-foot-5, 320 pounds, he is a large presence on the interior of the Panthers' defensive line. That's typically where opposing offensive linemen will find the former No. 7 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. 

But depending on the snap, Brown can line up basically anywhere on the defensive front, making him a tough matchup to game plan for as the Bears do for the Week 1 game on Sunday. 

"Yeah, he's a major problem," Bears offensive coordinator Press Taylor said. "And I think the biggest thing and probably the best thing he does well is the versatility to go up and down the line. I mean, he'll be anything from head-up on a center to head-up a tight end. And so all these matchups that they can create with him by the versatility of the front are a major problem for you. So everybody's aware that they may have their turn blocking him one-on-one based on what the front, what the defensive personnel grouping is. He is obviously a load for centers, but he's obviously a load for tight ends if he gets out there and plays in certain situations. The versatility he's able to display in all the different techniques of their defense and the way they deploy them, that's what's most impressive with him. 

Brown played in all 17 games last season, registering seven passes defensed, five sacks, one forced fumble and 73 total tackles. He was a handful for opposing offenses. Bears right guard Jonah Jackson will likely see No. 95 frequently in Sunday's road matchup. 

Jackson understands the difficulties Brown presents, but the veteran right guard knows he isn't the only threat on Carolina's D-line. 

"They had guy there that's been there for every year I've been in the league, Derrick Brown, I've seen him a couple times, so." Jackson said. "Bobby Brown, the edge Jaelan Phillips, so they've got a good group."

Although the Bears had joint practices against the Cincinnati Bengals and Tennessee Titans, Jackson is looking forward to "live action." 

Someone who will directly be impacted by Brown and the rest of the Panthers' defensive front is running back D'Andre Swift. Like his teammates, the veteran running back know Carolina will present plenty of challenges. 

"A good group, a good group," Swift said on Carolina's defense. "They throw a lot of different things at you, a lot of unique fronts. We got our work cut out for us for sure."

The Bears have talked extensively about starting off fast. Week 1 offers their first real chance to prove it, and limiting Brown will be key to helping the offense find its rhythm to begin the 2026 regular season.