The Carolina Panthers found success last season, winning the NFC South for the first time in over 10 years. Despite losing to the Los Angeles Rams, the Panthers had a successful season have set their foundation.

Now, in 2026 they will look to build on that moving forward. 

The Panthers made some big moves this offseason, most notably going out and signing free agent pass rusher Jaelan Phillips. That addition should help the defense get to the quarterback even more, hopefully leading to success. 

While the pressure will be on Bryce Young and the offense going into this season, it could be a specific part of the defense that makes the difference in terms of success or failure for this team. 

When preparing for the upcoming season, Matt Okada at NFL.com wrote on a stat for each team. He picked the 26.2-percent pressure rate from 2025 for the Panthers as a reason why they will have success in 2026.

He cited that upgraded pass rush. 

Carolina took a broad step forward in 2025, but still suffered from one glaring weakness: a 26.2% quarterback pressure rate that ranked dead last in the NFL. To address the issue, the Panthers signed Jaelan Phillips (63 pressures in 2025) and Devin Lloyd, whose 16 pressures from middle linebacker alignment were tied for most in the league last season. Alongside Derrick Brown and Nic Scourton, this upgraded Panthers pass rush could dictate their chances at a playoff berth.

In addition to Phillips, the Panthers also added Devin Lloyd who should provide some support at middle linebacker. This was an area of need for the Panthers after being one of the worst graded pass rush teams in the NFL last season. 

This also isn't the first time the Panthers' pass rush has been mentioned this offseason, either. 

Earlier edge rusher Nic Scourton was named as a breakout candidate for the Panthers this season. If that comes true, the Panthers pass rush will surely be a lot better here in the 2026 season, leading to big things for the defense.