Derrick Brown

Carolina Panthers

Pos IDL

Updated October 8, 2026

Compare Derrick Brown IDL rankings →

Model Score

84.5 MODEL

2020

80.8

2021

79.6

2022

78.5

2023

81.5

2025

87.7

2026

84.5

How good he is at what he is supposed to be doing, out of 100. Not a projection of what he will do next, and not a read on his contract. Median is about 70, and a 95 is rare. How it is built →

STM Take

2023 1st-team All-Pro plus the Auburn 7th overall draft pedigree plus the 2019 SEC DPOY establishes Brown as one of the elite interior defenders of his generation. The 2024 Week 1 meniscus plus the 2025 managed snap share put continued durability question on every 2026 projection. The 2026 question is whether Brown returns to tier 1-2 territory or whether the structural injury wear plus the $96M extension creates major contract-value risk.

Brown came out of Auburn as the Carolina Panthers' 1st-round pick (7th overall) in 2020 after winning the 2019 SEC Defensive Player of the Year. He earned 2023 1st-team All-Pro recognition before tearing his meniscus in Week 1 of the 2024 season and missing the year. He returned in 2025 but the snap share was managed. He signed a four-year, $96M extension in 2024.

Strengths

2023 1st-team All-Pro plus 2019 SEC DPOY plus 7th overall draft pedigree establishes elite IDL career résumé.
Auburn SEC 7th overall draft pedigree plus the $96M Panthers extension gives him real elite career foundation.

Concerns

2024 Week 1 meniscus plus 2025 managed snap share puts continued durability question on every 2026 projection.
$24M 2026 cap hit on the $96M Panthers extension creates major contract-value risk if Brown cannot return to tier 1-2 territory.

What to watch: Whether Brown returns to tier 2 (top 15) in 2026 plus crosses 12 games played, the threshold for confirming the 2023 All-Pro ceiling can be recaptured.