Breaking down Carolina Panthers’ defensive line depth chart ahead of 2024 training camp

As the Carolina Panthers mark down the days until training camp , The Observer is breaking down their roster one positional group at a time.

After analyzing the offense , our series shifts to the defense with the defensive line.

The big question: Can Derrick Brown repeat his Pro Bowl success in 2024?

Derrick Brown was an absolute monster last season.

He led all NFL defensive linemen in tackles and graded out as Pro Football Focus’s fourth-ranked interior defensive lineman . That dominance led to his first Pro Bowl berth and a four-year, $96 million contract extension in the offseason.

And with defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero and defensive line coach Todd Wash returning to Carolina this season, there stands a chance that Brown could improve on his breakout campaign due to the familiarity with the system. He could also see significantly less double teams against the run with the free-agent addition of A’Shawn Robinson, another big-bodied presence in the trenches.

Brown was the Panthers’ best player during an abysmal 2023 campaign. If he can continue to be the face of the defense, and ascend to even bigger heights, the contract extension he received in April will be considered a team-friendly bargain. Brown is one of the best run-defending linemen in the league, and with added pieces to the defense, he shouldn’t have to be the be-all, end-all cog that he was last season.

The Panthers’ DL depth chart

▪ The projected starters: Derrick Brown, Shy Tuttle, A’Shawn Robinson — Brown and Robinson are a pair of imposing veterans up front. Robinson’s arrival should force opposing offensive lines to pick their double-team matchup with Brown already established on the opposite side of the line.

Tuttle is a unique fit at nose tackle. He had an up-and-down first year with the Panthers last season, and he will need to improve on that performance with Robinson and Brown book-ending him.

▪ The competition: Nick Thurman, LaBryan Ray, Jaden Crumedy, Junior Aho, Ulumoo Ale, Popo Aumavae, T.J. Smith — The backup competition for the defensive line feels like it’s wide open. Thurman and Ray impressed the coaching staff last year after arriving in the middle of the summer ahead of training camp. Both incumbent linemen have a leg up on the rest of the group after solid campaigns as role players last year.

Crumedy, the team’s sixth-round pick, should be given every chance to succeed this summer. Aho, the team’s international exemption, is likely to hang onto a spot on the practice squad regardless of his standing during the cut-down deadline. Ale, Aumavae and Smith are likely to competing to force the team to keep an additional backup lineman on the roster.

Player to watch in camp: Jaden Crumedy

Crumedy, a Mississippi State alum, didn’t have a prolific college career, but the Panthers clearly saw upside in him.

The 6-foot-4, 301-pound lineman has good size at the position, and he should have the versatility to play all three spots on the line. The Panthers need role players who can fit multiple roles up front, and Crumedy, if all goes well this summer, could be that guy.

Crumedy has the benefit of being a draft pick, but his spot on the roster isn’t promised as a Day 3 selection. However, given his competition behind Ray and Thurman, it’s fair to think that the rookie will be able to make the roster with a strong summer in camp and the preseason.