The Carolina Panthers made the playoffs last season, which was already more than most people expected. But as the 2026-27 season gets closer, the conversation has mostly been about Bryce Young taking another step and the offense finding its rhythm. The defense? It’s been pretty quiet. ESPN’s Mina Kimes thinks that’s about to change.
On the latest episode of her show, Kimes didn’t hold back. She called the Panthers defense the most improved unit in the NFL — at least on paper. And she’s not just talking depth pieces or rotational guys. She pointed to a handful of high-end players at premium positions and said that alone makes her want to watch.
“Carolina, look, I’m so enticed by this defense,” Kimes said. “I was so close to putting them in the top 10 because they have top 10 players at premium positions. Derrick Brown, Jaelen Phillips, Devin Lloyd, Jaycee Horn, and Mike Jackson. Like, that alone is enough. I have questions about a lot of the other positions. Safety, nickel. It feels like, okay, let’s see if [the named] players can kind of elevate everyone else.”
She’s basically saying the Panthers have a backbone of difference-makers. Brown is a wrecking ball on the interior. Phillips can get after the quarterback. Lloyd flies around at linebacker. Horn and Jackson lock down outside receivers. That’s five guys who can win their matchups one-on-one.
The question is what happens around them. Kimes acknowledged that spots like safety and nickel corner are still question marks. But she also thinks edge rusher Nic Scourton could be the guy who benefits most from all the attention Brown and Phillips will draw. If Scourton pops, this defense could be a real problem for opposing offenses.
Now, the Panthers will get an immediate test in Week 1. They host the Chicago Bears and Caleb Williams at home. That’s a high-powered offense with a quarterback who can make defenders look silly if they don’t get pressure. It’ll be a good early measuring stick for a defense that’s still trying to prove itself.
(The Panthers have not officially commented on Kimes’ assessment, and nobody should be printing playoff tickets just yet. But the talent is there on paper. The rest is about execution.)
If the back seven holds up, Carolina could quietly have one of the better defenses in the NFC. And that changes the whole conversation around this team.
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