Carolina Panthers: 5 reasons they’ll return to playoffs

3. The pass rush

Julius Peppers may be ancient by NFL standards but he’s still a serious threat when he’s rushing the passer off the edge. The bad news for opposing defenses is that he might be Carolina’s weakest starting player on the defensive line.

It’s no secret that Kawaan Short is one of the best defensive tackles in football. He isn’t an elite pass rusher per se, but his ability to occupy the middle of the offensive line gives the Panthers’ defensive ends a lot of room to disrupt things. The addition of Dontari Poe at defensive tackle will only give Short more freedom to pressure the pocket himself.

Mario Addison might be the most underrated defensive end in the NFL. He tallied a career high 11 sacks for the Panthers in 2017, but a lot of people around the league think of him as a pass rush specialist. The truth is he’s worked hard to make himself a complete player on the end. His ability to stay on the field during all three downs gives him even more chances to torment quarterbacks.

The Panthers have a rookie wild card in their defensive line group as well. Marquis Haynes may have only been a fourth round pick, but the organization believes he has a chance to really contribute on obvious passing downs. He lacks the size to hold up against the run, but his quickness and bend could make him a terror on third down. Add it all up and Eric Washington has one of the most disruptive pass rushes in the NFL.