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USA Today
13 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Derrick Brown named Panthers' 'make-or-break' player for 2025 season
Derrick Brown named Panthers' 'make-or-break' player for 2025 season The hopes for this year's Carolina Panthers might hinge on a big return. Pro Football Focus contributor Dalton Wasserman recently named each NFL team's "make-or-break" player for the upcoming campaign. To qualify as such, a player would have to have the power to single-handedly make or break the success of his team in 2025. Wasserman tabs defensive lineman Derrick Brown, who was one-and-done in 2024, for the Panthers: Carolina's defense was futile last season in many facets, but the unit played at a historically poor level against the run. Part of that stemmed from star defensive tackle Derrick Brown suffering a season-ending injury in Week 1. Brown placed second among all interior defenders in 2023 with an elite 90.0 PFF run-defense grade. His presence in the middle makes the entire unit better. The Panthers acquired several pieces on the defensive line to improve their run defense, but Brown's return to his 2023 form would make the biggest impact. Along with that 90.0 run-defense grade, Brown amassed a whopping 103 tackles—an NFL single-season record for a defensive lineman. Those results, which also included 2.0 sacks and an interception, help send the former first-round pick to his first career Pro Bowl. This past year, however, wasn't as kind to Brown—who missed 16 of Carolina's 17 games after sustaining a season-ending knee injury in their opener. The Panthers went on to allow the most points ever as well as a league-worst 179.8 rushing yards per game. Brown, who has yet to fully participate in offseason workouts, was asked when he hopes to get back on the practice field. "Hopefully, very close," he replied. "I expect to be out there in training camp. Load management, and hopefully in the next few weeks, I get cleared. So that's the goal and then at that point, it's just getting back in football shape and being able to go out there and play with the team." Panthers veterans are set to report to training camp on Tuesday, July 22. So hopefully for Carolina and their defense, their 6-foot-5, 320-pound wrecking ball is back in working order by then. Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.
USA Today
12-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Biggest takeaways from the Panthers' final outing of 2025 mandatory minicamp
Biggest takeaways from the Panthers' final outing of 2025 mandatory minicamp Before heading off for summer vacation, the Carolina Panthers wrapped up their 2025 edition of mandatory minicamp on Thursday. So, what did they leave behind ahead of the break? Here are the biggest takeaways from the third and final session of the phase: Defense wins the day After a dominant showing from the offense on Wednesday, the defense bit back with quite a performance this afternoon. The outing was highlighted by a few interceptions, including one from starting cornerback Mike Jackson. Carolina's defense was also led by linebacker Christian Rozeboom, who deflected multiple passes. Last year, the Panthers set a new NFL single-season record for most points allowed (534). So seeing the defense, which underwent some construction in recent months, turn in a win had to feel good. Derrick Brown's goal That lowly 2024 defense was not exactly helped by the absence of defensive lineman Derrick Brown, who missed 16 of 17 games due to a knee injury. He talked about zeroing in on his return to the practice field. "Hopefully, very close," he said. "I expect to be out there in training camp. Load management, and hopefully in the next few weeks, I get cleared. So that's the goal and then at that point, it's just getting back in football shape and being able to go out there and play with the team." Brown was a Pro Bowler the campaign prior, where he amassed 103 tackles—the most ever by a defensive lineman in a single season. Message received? This may sound odd, but the Panthers might have themselves a good depth problem at the wideout position. Head coach Dave Canales admitted that it may be hard to determine which receivers ultimately make the initial 53-man roster. "I think it's gonna be very difficult," Canales stated. "I think that we're gonna have to take it through the preseason games, and see who can help us. And special teams is gonna be such a huge piece of that puzzle. How can these guys help us in the coverage units? Can they help us as a returner? Those things, that added value—if it's even the special teamer—makes the team. "So that's the part where we get to challenge our guys. Find a role, take this thing seriously. You're not here just to catch passes. We only get so many helmets on game day, so we need all of you. We need you guys to contribute in different ways.' Some wide receivers who may be fighting for a spot include former Pro Bowler Hunter Renfrow, veteran and Canales favorite David Moore and 2025 sixth-round pick Jimmy Horn Jr. Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.
USA Today
12-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Panthers DL Derrick Brown reveals when he plans on returning to the practice field
Panthers DL Derrick Brown reveals when he plans on returning to the practice field Carolina Panthers defensive lineman Derrick Brown is zeroing in on his return. The sixth-year veteran spoke with reporters following the third and final session of the team's mandatory minicamp on Thursday. Brown, who has yet to participate in on-field workouts this offseason, was asked when he thinks he'll be back on the practice field. "Hopefully, very close," he replied. "I expect to be out there in training camp. Load management, and hopefully in the next few weeks, I get cleared. So that's the goal and then at that point, it's just getting back in football shape and being able to go out there and play with the team." Brown sustained a season-ending knee injury during Carolina's Week 1 matchup against the New Orleans Saints last September. His absence loomed large over the Panthers defense—which not only relinquished a league-leading 179.8 rushing yards per game, but also set an NFL record of 534 points allowed on the campaign. The season prior saw Brown capture an NFL record of his own, as he amassed the most tackles by a defensive lineman (103). He was selected to his first Pro Bowl Games for his efforts. Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.
CBS News
12-06-2025
- General
- CBS News
Elk Grove 8th graders' final-quarter grades will only count toward promotion participation
ELK GROVE — Grades will not count as much for 8th-grade students in the Elk Grove Unified School District after it passed a policy that said only grades from the fourth quarter of the school year will count when deciding whether to participate in the promotion ceremony. This means a student could technically fail most of the year, but if they get good grades in the final quarter of 8th grade, they will be able to walk across the stage with their classmates. "What's the point of me showing up?" said Derrick Brown, an 8th-grade science teacher at Samuel Jackman Middle School. Brown has been dedicated to preparing his students for high school for decades and told CBS13 that kids used to need to complete 50 out of 60 credits in order to participate in the promotion ceremony. "Now you're discrediting me as a teacher. How can I hold kids accountable if they are sitting there saying, 'Well, it doesn't count anyway?' " said Brown. It is a district-wide middle school criteria change that states to participate in the promotion ceremony, you can have no more than one "F" in the 4th quarter of 8th grade, you must pay off any fees like library books and you cannot get suspended in the fourth quarter of the school year. "I have gotten straight-A's basically all my life, and so I want to keep it that way," said incoming 8th grader at Joseph Kerr Middle School, Tessa McMahan. She is curious how the policy could impact classrooms and students' willingness to participate and learn. "I know it was really hard keeping my grades up and staying focused when the other students were always interrupting my teacher and stuff," said McMahan. Elk Grove Unified told CBS13 that several of its middle schools already had this policy, so the change was about equity and consistency. "We really care about his grades, and we think it's important to get good grades," said parent Euna Helms. Helms said the grades her incoming 8th grader son gets reflect his hard work and create habits she hopes will carry him through life. "Folks who say middle school grades don't matter anyway. It doesn't go on your permanent record," said Brown. "That's not the point. The point is accountability." The policy will be in place for all nine Elk Grove Unified middle schools for the 2025-2026 school year.
USA Today
09-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Where does the Bucs DL group rank in the NFC North in 2025?
Where does the Bucs DL group rank in the NFC North in 2025? We are continuing a Summer series here on Bucs Wire, ranking the position groups across the division. The major pit stops of the offseason have come and gone, which means rosters are set for the most part. Now, could someone pull off a major trade or sign a veteran free agent down the line? Of course, and they likely will based on our luck to throw things off. Regardless, we wanted to do this exercise just to give you, the reader, a state of the division. At the end of each article, we will also provide a recap of the scorecards so that we can keep a running tally for you to keep track of and see who has the best roster in the division. Next up are the defensive lines in the NFC South. Note: Each group will have varying numbers of players as each team doesn't run the same defense. 4) Atlanta Falcons Starting Group: Morgan Fox, Ruke Orhorhro, and David Onyemata The Falcons' defense has been neglected in recent years during the pivotal times of the NFL Draft. In 2024, they were expected to pursue an edge rusher and opted for a quarterback instead. This year, they sured up their linebacker group, but this group remains starving for attention. Ruke Orhorhro is a promising run defender, so if he can get some help from the players on the outside, they may finally have some efficiency from the group. 3) Carolina Panthers Starting Group: Derrick Brown, Bobby Brown III, and Tershawn Wharton Derrick Brown was coming off a Pro Bowl season in 2023, so expectations were high in 2024. Unfortunately, injury stopped that halfway through one game of the season, but now he is ready for a rebound. They add another player, Bobby Brown III from the Rams, to be a tag team partner for him to help take some pressure off him. 2) New Orleans Saints Starting Group: Chase Young, Davon Godchaux, Bryan Breese, and Carl Granderson The Saints team as a whole is a bit of a disaster in terms of roster building, but the defense has some bright spots, and this group is one of them. Chase Young proved to be a nice find in free agency and is returning to the team with more expectations for 2025. The team added another piece, this time from the Patriots in Davon Godchaux, who comes down to the Bayou with the thought that he can help the interior. Starting Group: Logan Hall, Vita Vea, and Calijah Kancey The Bucs have the best defensive line group in the division, far and away, when we look at things. Vita Vea is a perennial All-Pro selection each year he plays all 17 games, Calijah Kancey is on the fringe of becoming a 10-sack-a-season defender, and Logan Hall is starting to come into his own. This group is going to be leading the Renaissance charge for the Bucs defense in 2025.
