Carolina Panthers Offseason Outlook: Can They Keep Climbing After a Surprising 2025?
The Carolina Panthers turned heads in 2025, sneaking into the playoffs just a year removed from fielding one of the worst defenses in NFL history. That kind of turnaround doesn't happen by accident-and it certainly doesn't happen without a few foundational pieces falling into place. But now comes the hard part: building on that momentum.
With $9.5 million in projected cap space and eight draft picks-including the 19th overall selection-Carolina has the tools to keep climbing. The question is: can they use them wisely?
1. Edge Rusher: The Top Priority
Let’s start with the most glaring issue: the Panthers need to find some juice off the edge. Despite the defense’s overall improvement, Carolina finished 31st in pressure rate and managed just 30 sacks all season. That’s not going to cut it-not in a league where disrupting the quarterback is more important than ever.
What makes this even more impressive is that the Panthers still managed to rank seventh in the NFL in passing touchdowns allowed. That’s largely thanks to a breakout year from Jaycee Horn, who earned a Pro Bowl nod, and Michael Jackson, who quietly led the league with 19 pass deflections. But the back end can only hold up for so long without help up front.
Derrick Brown and rookie Nic Scourton tied for the team lead with five sacks each, but that’s more of a testament to their effort than a sign of a dominant pass rush. Scourton looks like a building block, and the Panthers are hopeful about fellow rookie Princely Umanmielen, though he played sparingly.
With D.J. Wonnum likely gone and veteran Patrick Jones a possible cap casualty, Carolina needs to reload-and fast.
Don’t be surprised if they double-dip again in the draft or make a splash in free agency. This is a defense that’s on the rise, but it won’t take the next step until it finds a consistent threat off the edge.
2. Linebacker: The Missing Piece in the Middle
Ejiro Evero’s defense made real strides in 2025, but there’s still a soft spot in the middle of the field-and opposing offenses knew it. Whether it was play-action, crossers, or quick throws underneath, teams targeted Carolina’s linebackers with success.
Injuries didn’t help. Trevin Wallace’s development was stalled, and Christian Rozeboom was thrust into a larger role after Josey Jewell went down. Rozeboom held his own, but this group needs more than just serviceable-it needs a difference-maker.
The Panthers have a rich history at linebacker. From Luke Kuechly to Thomas Davis to Jon Beason-and current GM Dan Morgan-they’ve long valued elite play in the middle of the defense. That legacy is missing from the current roster, and it’s time to find the next name to carry that torch.
Expect the Panthers to be active here, whether that’s targeting a rangy linebacker in the draft or finding a veteran who can bring leadership and sideline-to-sideline speed. In Evero’s scheme, a great linebacker can be the glue that turns a good defense into a dominant one.
3. Tackle: Short-Term Patch, Long-Term Plan
Despite their playoff push, the Panthers went 8-9 with a -67 point differential. In other words, there’s still work to do. And while there are needs at receiver and in the secondary, the offensive line-particularly at tackle-deserves serious attention.
Right tackle Taylor Moton continues to be a rock, entering his ninth season as a starter. But at 32, it’s time to start thinking about the future.
On the left side, things are even murkier. Ikem Ekwonu had been developing nicely, but a torn patellar tendon in the playoff loss to the Rams clouds his outlook heading into a contract year.
That’s a brutal injury for any player, especially a 300-pound tackle. It’s unlikely Ekwonu will be ready for Week 1, and there’s no guarantee he’ll return to form even later in the season. That leaves Carolina needing both a short-term fix and a long-term plan.
It’s worth noting that Morgan hasn’t drafted an offensive lineman since taking over as GM, but that figures to change this offseason. The Panthers managed to retain their entire offensive line depth chart last year, a rare feat that paid off when injuries hit. This year, they’ll need to reload and prepare for more adversity.
One Big Question: Can the Panthers Take the Next Step?
Since David Tepper bought the team in 2018, the Panthers have been stuck in a cycle of instability and underachievement. But 2025 felt like a turning point. First-year head coach Dave Canales brought a wave of optimism, and his decision to bench Bryce Young early in the season-only to bring him back and see him flourish-was a bold move that paid off.
Young wasn’t perfect, but he showed real growth. By season’s end, he looked more comfortable, more decisive, and more capable of leading a playoff team. That’s a huge win for a franchise that desperately needed one.
Now, the challenge is even greater. It’s one thing to go from bad to average.
It’s another to go from average to good-and eventually, to great. The NFL is built to keep teams in the middle, and climbing out of that pack takes smart decisions, strong leadership, and a little bit of luck.
Canales and Morgan are trying to build something sustainable, leaning on their shared experience from the 2010s Seahawks. But sustaining success in today’s NFL is a grind.
The Panthers have a young quarterback, a promising defense, and a front office that seems to have a plan. But they’ll need to hit on their draft picks, spend wisely in free agency, and get more out of their stars.
Bryce Young has earned another year as the starter. Now it’s on him-and the team around him-to take the next leap.
If they can do that, the Panthers won’t just be a feel-good story. They’ll be a real contender.