The Carolina Panthers have already spent plenty of energy patching up the roster for 2025, and the work they’ve done is hard to miss. They addressed the problems at left tackle and center, added a premier linebacker, brought in an uber-talented edge rusher, and gave the roster more depth in spots that needed it.
But with training camp starting this week, one issue still stands out: linebacker.
Devin Lloyd gives Carolina the high-level presence it was missing, but he can’t fix the entire group by himself. Trevin Wallace is solid enough, yet his job is still one the Panthers could improve.
And if Wallace takes a step forward, the depth behind him is still shaky at best. If Lloyd or Wallace were to miss time, Carolina would be in serious trouble with Claudin Cherilus, Bam Martin-Scott, Thomas Incoom, and Jackson Kuwatch in line for snaps they probably shouldn’t be taking.
That’s why the position still feels like a place Dan Morgan should consider upgrading, even if the Panthers appear ready to leave it alone for now.
There are ways to clean it up without making a huge splash. Free agency offers several cheap options who could compete with Wallace for a starting role or at least give the Panthers a reliable backup and some insurance if injuries hit. The names are out there, and the price tag would likely be manageable this late in the offseason.
Trade possibilities exist, too. Lukas Van Ness and Pete Werner have been mentioned as potential candidates, and Jordyn Brooks is another intriguing name. Still, the cleaner move for Carolina may be to stay away from giving up draft capital and simply bring in a veteran who doesn’t carry a big salary.
The options are there. Whether the Panthers actually act on them is another matter.
In Other News...
Why Jeremy Chinn Still Frustrates Panthers Fans Years Later
Jeremy Chinn arrived in Carolina as a second-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft and quickly looked like the kind of defensive building block the Panthers had been searching for. He started most of his games over three seasons, piled up significant production and gave the defense a playmaking edge that made him easy to notice, especially for a fan base that still remembers how much promise he flashed early in his career.
The frustration came later, when coaching changes and scheme shifts changed his role and his time on the field. By the time he left in 2024, the Panthers had already watched a player who once seemed central to their future move on, and he has since kept starting elsewhere, first in Washington and then with the Raiders. For Carolina, he remains one of those reminders of how quickly a young standout can go from cornerstone to what might have been. [Read more 🡒]
Brady Christensens Panthers Return Feels Like A Big Camp Reunion
Just ahead of training camp, the Panthers brought back a familiar face in veteran offensive lineman Brady Christensen, signing him to a one-year deal as the roster starts to take shape for the summer. Christensens return adds another experienced piece to an offensive line that has leaned on his steadiness before, and it also reconnects Carolina with a player who has already spent meaningful time in the building.
Christensen was drafted by the Panthers in 2021 and became a full-time starter at left guard in 2022, so this is not a fresh introduction so much as a reunion. His versatility gives Carolina some flexibility up front, and the timing of the move only adds to the sense that the Panthers wanted one more known commodity in place as camp opens and the competition begins. [Read more 🡒]
Monroe Freeling Suddenly Has A Massive Chance Panthers Fans Didn't Expect
With rookies reporting to training camp Tuesday and veterans following a day later, the Panthers are about to get a first real look at how their reshaped offensive line might settle. Carolina has already taken steps to address the group by signing Rasheed Walker and adding Monroe Freeling in the first round, and the expectation is that the line jobs will be earned rather than handed out once camp gets rolling.
Freeling arrives with a clearer path than most first-year linemen usually get, especially with the left tackle picture suddenly in flux. The Panthers still have competition brewing across the interior, too, with Luke Fortner and Sam Hecht in the mix at center and Brady Christensen back in the conversation, so the next few weeks should reveal whether Carolinas plan is to lean on the rookie sooner than expected or let the battle play out deeper into camp. [Read more 🡒]