Carolina Panthers: Yes, Kony Ealy is important

Many NFL fans heard Kony Ealy’s name when he was a potential first-round pick back in the 2014 draft, and while he fell into the Carolina Panthers hands in the second round and didn’t do much in his first two regular seasons, he put himself in the national spotlight on the NFL’s biggest stage.

Von Miller and the Denver Broncos defense owned the Super Bowl, but the Carolina Panthers had a couple of strong performances on that side of the ball, too. None of them were better than Kony Ealy’s display, because the former Missouri Tigers standout recorded three sacks and an interception. No player had ever accomplished this feat in a Super Bowl, and his three sacks tied a record.

Now, Ealy’s task will be to prove that he’s more than just a one-hit wonder. To his credit, he did make some plays during the regular season, improving on all of his stats with 32 tackles, five sacks, three fumbles forced, and two passes defended.

Just 24, Ealy might be one of the most important players to the Panthers success in 2016. Linebackers Luke Kuechly, Thomas Davis, and Shaq Thompson comprise the strength of this team, and the defensive line is in good hands up the middle with Kawann Short, Star Lotulelei, Vernon Butler, and Paul Soliai.

More from Carolina Panthers

What should concern the Panthers mildly is their pass defense, but it has a little less to do with Josh Norman than you might think. Yes, losing their best playmaker in the secondary will hurt, but they can make it work with a cast of promising young cornerbacks. Odds are that one or two of them will emerge as useful role players who can help Bene Benwikere out, and the safety tandem of Kurt Coleman and Tre Boston might be the NFL’s most underrated.

The edge rush is the part of the Panthers defense that is worth monitoring, because even though they can bring interior heat, it is important for a Super Bowl contender to strive to be as strong as possible in all areas. Injuries and weaknesses can be exploited by the best of the best, as we saw when the 15-1 Panthers were unable to close out the season with a ring.

Feb 7, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Carolina Panthers defensive end Kony Ealy (94) returns an interception with Denver Broncos wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders (10) chasing in Super Bowl 50 at Levi /

Carolina kept Charles Johnson at a reduced rate, and he remains an above-average player at the age of 30, even if the stat sheet only showed one sack last season.

But how much can the Panthers rely on Johnson and unheralded backup Mario Addison? The Panthers weren’t bad at rushing the passer in 2015, but they were merely in the middle of the pack in Sack%, something they would like to improve on in 2016.

By now, you may have seen comments from Panthers defensive coordinator Sean McDermott, who had this to say about his potential third-year breakout DE (from the Charlotte Observer’s Joseph Person):

"“This will be a big year for Kony and we’ll see exactly how he handled this offseason, just like the rest of the players. I do believe we saw him around the building and putting forth the effort in the training room and the weight room this offseason, in terms of getting himself to the point where he’s potentially ready to go and in the best shape of his life, we hope, for training camp.”"

This quote goes beyond mere motivational tactics, because the Panthers do need Ealy to come up strong this season. He’s flashed talent a few times, including when he had a sack in every game from Week 8 to Week 12. That said, those were also his only five sacks of the season, and Ealy, who came into the NFL with strength concerns, has yet to show that he can hold up in the running game.

That last point should not be neglected, because he must prove his ability on all downs in order to make the sort of impact the Panthers are expecting out of their former second-round pick. Ealy’s length, quickness, bend, and disruption have all been present traits, but his lack of strength, reliability, and moves prevented him from using those to their fullest effect early in his career.

Sep 14, 2014; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers defensive end Charles Johnson (95) celebrates with defensive end Mario Addison (97) after a sack in the game against the Detroit Lions at Bank of America Stadium. Carolina defeated Detroit 24-7. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports /

Ealy fell out of the first round due to his status as a project, and even though it was just one game, it seemed like he did put pieces together against the Broncos.

A good edge rush will go a long way to helping rookie CBs James Bradberry, Zack Sanchez, and Daryl Worley, and it can help this team win more of those ugly games- including the ones when the opponent beats the odds and solves their rushing attack.

Home/Carolina Panthers