The Carolina Panthers could make a significant move for this dynamic defensive player.
The Carolina Panthers may have won the NFC South this past season, but they still have some very obvious needs on their roster.
Perhaps the most glaring hole of all is in the Panthers' pass rush, as Carolina managed just 30 sacks in 2025.
Remember: the pass rush was an issue for the Panthers in 2024 (32 sacks), as well. They did take some measures to address it last spring, signing Pat Jones in free agency and nabbing Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen in the NFL Draft, but clearly, those moves didn't help.
With Carolina now on the cusp of legitimate contention, it definitely needs to fix its most significant problem, and the good news is that this offseason is loaded with talented edge rushers both in free agency and the draft.
In terms of the former, the Panthers should seriously consider Odafe Oweh.
Oweh began the 2025 campaign with the Baltimore Ravens where he played five games before being traded to the Los Angeles Chargers.
On the season overall, Oweh registered 38 tackles, 7.5 sacks and 18 quarterback hits, managing an impressive 78.0 pass-rushing grade at Pro Football Focus.
Odafe Oweh. Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images.Still just 27 years old, Oweh is projected to land a three-year, $57.9 million contract in free agency (via Spotrac), and it's a move Carolina should seriously consider.
Oweh has flown under the radar as one of the league's better pass rushers the last couple of years, as he also racked up 39 tackles, 10 sacks and 23 quarterback hits during the 2024 campaign.
The Panthers could slide him next to Scourton (who showed some promise throughout his rookie season) and actually form a solid edge-rushing combo.
Oweh's potential price tag ($19.3 million annually) may seem a bit daunting, especially considering that he is really only a part-time player (he appeared in 50 percent of the Chargers' defensive snaps in 2025). But he is clearly impactful, and he would significantly help Carolina with its biggest need.
The Panthers currently have $9.3 million in cap room, but they can open up some more space via roster cuts, trades and contract restructures.
We'll see if they ultimately make a play for Oweh once free agency begins next week.
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