The Carolina Panthers have already done most of their heavy lifting for the 2026 offseason, and ESPN’s Seth Walder thinks the front office deserves a solid mark for the work it has put in so far.
Walder gave Carolina a “B” for its offseason moves, pointing to a few clear wins and at least one decision he likes even more than a splashy signing: the Panthers have still not extended Bryce Young. In Walder’s view, that restraint makes sense. Young remains under contract through 2027 because of the fifth-year option, and Walder said the quarterback has not been consistent enough to justify a long-term commitment yet.
Carolina’s biggest spending spree came on defense, where the Panthers added pass rusher Jaelan Phillips and Pro Bowl linebacker Devin Lloyd to a front seven that needed help. Those moves have already split opinion, with supporters and skeptics on both sides. Walder was more reserved on Lloyd than on Phillips, saying he entered free agency expecting to dislike the signing more than he ultimately did.
“I went into free agency expecting to be quite down on Lloyd's signing. While he made impactful plays last season, Jacksonville didn't trust him to stay on the field for all snaps, which is a red flag. But he got less than I thought he would, so while I don't love the deal it's not terrible, either.”
That’s the tension with Carolina’s defense now: if Lloyd doesn’t hit, the loss will be felt immediately. The same is true for Phillips, who was brought in on a massive contract to help lift the Panthers’ pass rush out of the NFL’s basement.
Walder also liked the Panthers’ move to keep wide receiver Jalen Coker around on a three-year, $34 million extension. The former undrafted free agent is now under contract through the 2029 season.
On the other side of the ball, Carolina spent real resources rebuilding offensive line depth after injuries wrecked the unit last season. The group now includes veterans Rasheed Walker and Luke Fortner, along with 2026 draft picks Monroe Freeling and Sam Hecht. Walder noted that the Panthers deserve more credit for those investments, especially the Walker signing and the use of a first-round pick on Freeling.
If that offensive line group proves worthy of its price tag - the most expensive in the NFL, according to the source material - it could give Dave Canales’ offense a real boost.
In Other News...
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A hypothetical three-team trade has pushed the Panthers back into the conversation around tight end help, with Chicago reportedly eyeing edge rusher Josh Sweat and Arizona looking for draft compensation in a deal that would ripple across the NFC. Sweat, who previously played for the Eagles and turned in a strong season with the Cardinals, has been at the center of trade chatter as teams around the league look for ways to strengthen their pass rush.
For Carolina, the appeal would be obvious in a pass-catching tight end, especially with Tommy Tremble leading Panthers tight ends with just 249 receiving yards last season. The framework would send draft picks to Arizona as part of the package, but the bigger question for the Panthers is whether a move like this could finally give Bryce Young another reliable middle-of-the-field option while the rest of the league keeps circling a Cardinals defender who suddenly looks like he could be at the center of something bigger. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Face One Defining Trade Call That Could Reshape This Offseason
A possible Carolina offseason pivot has centered on one simple question: whether the Panthers should keep building around their current pass-catching group or use a trade chip to address another part of the offense. The idea on the table would send Xavier Legette out and bring a different piece back into the mix, one that could change how the rest of the depth chart is managed.
The ripple effect is what makes the discussion interesting for Carolina. Any move that adds another established target would force the Panthers to sort out how they use their tight end room, and it could put Tommy Tremble on the bubble as the roster takes shape. For a team still trying to sharpen its identity on offense, it is the kind of call that can quietly define an offseason even before anything becomes official. [Read more 🡒]