With Carolina set to kick off the season in less than a week, the Panthers look equipped to chase another run to the top of the NFC South. But there’s one part of this roster that could decide whether that push has real staying power: the offensive line.
A lot around the team has changed, and that’s especially true up front. Nearly every unit on the roster has been reshaped, with the starters in the receiver room and the backfield - Chuba Hubbard and Jonathon Brooks - standing as the main exceptions.
That matters because Carolina is walking into a tough 2026 slate. The Panthers will see six teams that reached the playoffs in 2025, and that group is joined by the Baltimore Ravens and Detroit Lions, both of whom had down seasons last year but still profile as playoff-caliber opponents.
For Carolina to keep moving forward, the line has to hold up.
The unit will look almost entirely different when the season opens on Sunday. Three new starters are expected: Rasheed Walker at left tackle, Luke Fortner at center, and rookie Monroe Freeling at right tackle.
Freeling wasn’t supposed to be in that spot when camp opened. Taylor Moton was the projected starter at right tackle and had been lined up for first-team work, but blood clots have sidelined him and will keep him out for the early part of the season.
Walker’s arrival was just as important. Carolina needed him in free agency after Ikem Ekwonu tore his patellar tendon against the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Wild Card game. Ekwonu likely won’t play a down this season, which makes Walker’s availability a major issue for the offense and for Bryce Young’s development.
Freeling will probably take some rookie lumps, but his size and talent give him a chance to settle in. The bigger concern is what happens if the Panthers get pushed even thinner.
Both tackle spots share the same backup in Stone Forsythe, a former sixth-round pick who has historically had a hard time with pass rushers and pass protection in general. That’s not much margin for error on a line already carrying major questions.
If Carolina has to keep shuffling bodies at tackle, the downside is obvious. The Panthers could wind up on their third right tackle or third left tackle against defenses like Seattle, Baltimore, or Denver.
And if that happens, Bryce Young is going to spend a lot of time under duress. He has struggled with pressure before, and that has to change if a contract extension is going to become reality.
In Other News...
Panthers Secondary Could Get Even Scarier With This Early Projection
A 2027 NFL mock draft has the Panthers looking to add another major piece to a defense that already has a chance to become a real strength. Bleacher Reports scouting department projected Carolina taking Notre Dame cornerback Leonard Moore at No. 7 overall, a pick that would fit the idea of continuing to build on the back end with a player praised for his technique, size and football IQ.
Moore is the kind of prospect who could make sense if Carolina wants to keep stacking talent in the secondary and stay ahead of future roster decisions. It is still far too early to treat any projection as more than a snapshot of what evaluators think now, but it does underline how much attention the Panthers defensive potential is already drawing. [Read more 🡒]
Jonathon Brooks Just Put Carolina's Week 1 Backfield Into Focus
Jonathon Brooks took a noticeable step forward this week by getting on the field in uniform and pads as the Panthers continued working toward the 2026 season. It was the clearest sign yet that the running back is moving along in his recovery from the torn ACL that wiped out his entire 2025 campaign, and it gives Carolina another layer to monitor as Week 1 approaches.
Dave Canales has kept the message measured, saying the team is handling Brooks return one day at a time and will sort out his status closer to the opener. If the comeback keeps trending the right way, the Panthers could be looking at a backfield that features Brooks alongside Chuba Hubbard, which would give Carolina a more flexible mix than it had last year. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Sweat Could Become A Cardinals Pivot Point Fast
With the trade deadline approaching, the Bears search for another edge rusher is already drawing attention, and Josh Sweat has surfaced as one of the more intriguing names to watch. The Cardinals linebacker has the kind of front-seven presence that can change the look of a defense quickly, which is why a possible deal involving a conditional 2027 fourth-round pick has entered the conversation.
For now, Arizona is said to have no interest in moving Sweat, but the door does not have to stay shut if the teams competitive outlook shifts. That uncertainty is what makes him such a potential pivot point, because a player viewed as part of the Cardinals present can become a trade chip in a hurry if the season starts pointing in a different direction. [Read more 🡒]