The Carolina Panthers used a first-round pick on Monroe Freeling because of what he could become, not what he was ready to give them right away. The Georgia tackle brings rare athleticism, but he also arrived with the kind of rough edges that made immediate snaps feel like a long shot from the start.
That outlook hasn’t changed much, and Freeling’s minicamp work only reinforces it. According to the ESPN staff update, “Freeling reportedly has been practicing at both tackle spots, according to the Panthers' website.
He's lining up primarily at left tackle as starter Ikem Ekwonu recovers from a ruptured patellar tendon. Freeling played most of his college career at left tackle, but he's eager to display his versatility.”
That versatility is useful in the long run. It gives Carolina options, and it could help Freeling settle into either side of the line down the road. But for 2026, it also says plenty about where he stands right now: not firmly planted anywhere, and not close to forcing his way onto the field.
The Panthers already have traffic jammed up at both tackle spots. Taylor Moton is still holding down the right side, while the left side belongs to Rasheed Walker if Freeling doesn’t take it. With Ekwonu out, Freeling is getting work there, but that doesn’t automatically mean the job is his.
That leaves Carolina in a familiar developmental holding pattern. Freeling can learn both spots now and potentially become a movable piece later, especially as the Panthers look ahead to a future where the current tackle group won’t be around forever. By 2028, none of those starters are expected to still be on the roster.
There’s a path where Moton retires early and Freeling shifts over. There’s another where Carolina keeps one of Walker or Ekwonu, slides Freeling to the other side, and eventually replaces Moton later. But none of that changes the immediate picture.
For this season, the Panthers appear headed toward a first-round pick spending most of his time watching rather than playing. That’s not ideal for a team trying to defend a division crown in a year when the standings were that tight - there was a three-way tie for first, remember - but it’s where things stand.
Right now, the signs point to a quiet rookie year for Freeling, with the real payoff still waiting down the road.
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