The Summer break continues for the Carolina Panthers as they are just under a month away from reporting to training camp. As the Panthers are preparing for the upcoming season, it feels like they have a lot to prove still in 2026. 

Carolina is coming off a NFC South title for the first time in over 10 years. But even with that, they reached the playoffs with a 8-9 record and due to a tiebreaker. 

The Panthers need to find a way to prove that it wasn't a fluke and that they are ready to take the next step and be a contender in the NFC. 

There are a lot of storylines surrounding this team and they made some big offseason additions to improve both sides of the ball. Carolina's defense was a strong point last season and that's expected to be the case once again in 2026. That unit is led by veteran defensive lineman Derrick Brown who had a big year. 

And now, he's earning some preseason recognition. 

Despite their success last season, there's just one Panthers' player who made the list for top 100 NFL players on CBS Sports. That player? Derrick Brown who was ranked No. 90 overall after not being on the list a year ago.

Here is what Pete Prisco had to say about Brown in his list:

He is a force against the run and returned from injury in 2025 to show that again. He also posted a career-high five sacks. (Last season: NR)

Brown is coming off a season in which he had five sacks and one forced fumble with 33 solo tackles. He was impressive for the Panthers, being a staple on that defensive line.

Seeing Brown on the list is a good thing, especially after he wasn't ranked in last year's version. However, the Panthers having just one player isn't ideal. 

Hopefully the Panthers can land more on next year's list as that would mean a likely successful season. Players like Tetairoa McMillan are primed for breakout seasons and could find themselves on this list.