The Carolina Panthers have been connected to a star pass rusher.
Last year, the Carolina Panthers knew they needed to address their pass rush, so they went out and signed edge rusher Pat Jones II and defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton in free agency while also drafting Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen.
The result? The Panthers were actually even worse off than the season prior, as they logged just 30 sacks in 2025. They finished with 32 in 2024.
Scourton and Derrick Brown led the team with five sacks apiece, and the next closest sack-getters were D.J. Wonnum and Tre'von Moehrig (a safety) with three each.
Clearly, Carolina needs to further address the unit this offseason, and while the Panthers have the financial wherewithal to make a move for a pass rusher in free agency, they may want to take another one in the NFL Draft.
Max Chadwick of Pro Football Focus has listed the best fit for each team with their first-round draft pick, and for Carolina, he tabbed Texas A&M star Cashius Howell.
"The Panthers earned the second-worst PFF pass-rushing grade in the NFL this season. After selecting Nic Scourton in the second round last year to help fix that problem, Carolina could grab another Texas A&M edge rusher in Howell," Chadwick wrote.
Texas A&M Aggies edge rusher Cashius Howell. Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images.Howell racked up 31 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks and six passes defended in 2025 en route to All-American honors.
The Kansas City, Mo. native actually began his collegiate career at Bowling Green in 2021 and spent three seasons there before transferring to Texas A&M in 2024.
Over the course of his NCAA tenure, Howell accumulated 27 sacks, and he also posted 13 passes defended across his two campaigns with the Aggies.
The 6-foot-2, 255-pound star would definitely be a tremendous fit for the Panthers, and while Carolina has other needs, too, nothing is more glaring than its need for sacks.
The Panthers still managed to win the NFC South with their light pass rush this past season, although they went just 8-9 in the process.
To be quite frank, quarterback might still be Carolina's biggest issue, as it genuinely does not look like Bryce Young is the answer. But actually being able to get to opposing quarterbacks is vital, as well.