The Carolina Panthers still have plenty of roster building left to do, but a few parts of this team are already starting to look like real strengths. Going into 2026, the clearest advantage sits up front, where Carolina’s offensive line stands alone as the best position group on the roster.
That unit is expensive for a reason. The Panthers spent this offseason adding more depth to protect the blind side, bringing in former Green Bay Packers left tackle Rasheed Walker and using the 19th overall pick on Georgia tackle Monroe Freeling.
They also added center help with veteran Luke Fortner and fifth-round pick Sam Hecht. The backups at guard are not as strong, but the starting combination of Damien Lewis and 2024 Pro Bowler Robert Hunt gives Carolina one of the better interior pairings around.
The next-best group is on the back end of the defense. Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson give the Panthers a cornerback duo that can hold its own against anyone, and the slot has two young options in Corey Thornton and Chau Smith-Wade.
Safety still needs work, but veteran Tre'Von Moehrig gives them at least one proven piece there. If 2025 fourth-round pick Lathan Ransom takes a step in his second season, this group could climb even higher.
Carolina’s interior defensive line comes next, and Derrick Brown is the reason why. Signing Tershawn Wharton and Bobby Brown II last spring did not pay off the way the Panthers hoped, but Brown coming off what was arguably the best season of his NFL career changes the whole feel of the unit. Second-round pick Lee Hunter has the size and skill to push for a starting job as a rookie and could end up lining up next to Brown for a long time.
Wide receiver lands in the middle of the pack, which is a major change from where this team was three years ago. Back then, the Panthers had arguably the worst receiver room in the league.
Now, 2025 Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan gives them their first guaranteed star production since Steve Smith Sr., and Jalen Coker adds useful support. The rest of the room is still unsettled, though Xavier Legette, Chris Brazzell II, John Metchie III or Jimmy Horn Jr. could change that if one of them breaks through.
Edge rusher is the toughest group to sort out because the range of outcomes is so wide. Jaelan Phillips could be a major difference-maker if he lives up to his new contract, and the Panthers are also counting on growth from second-year outside linebackers Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen.
If that happens, this could become one of the league’s most improved units. If it doesn’t, Carolina could be stuck near the bottom again in sacks.
Linebacker has a potential centerpiece in Pro Bowler Devin Lloyd, and that alone makes the group more interesting. But the rest of the room is a problem.
Christian Rozeboom is now in Tampa, Trevin Wallace is still set to start, and opposing offenses will likely keep testing him in both the run game and the passing game. The depth behind Lloyd and Wallace is not established.
Quarterback sits even lower, even with Bryce Young’s clutch moments. The issue is consistency.
Young has shown elite potential, but he has not shown it often enough to lock down the job long term. Behind him, Kenny Pickett is below average as a backup and Will Grier is below average as a third-stringer.
If Carolina is going to find better depth, it may have to come from undrafted rookie Haynes King.
Running back is another spot with big questions. Not long ago, this was a solid room with Christian McCaffrey and Chuba Hubbard.
Now the focus is on whether Hubbard can get back to his 2024 level and whether Jonathon Brooks can stay healthy for a full season. If both answers are no, this could be one of the worst backfields in the league.
If both are yes, it would mean a lot for Young and the offense.
Tight end rounds out the list. The Panthers are no longer carrying Ian Thomas, but that change has not translated into real production. Tommy Tremble remains an excellent blocker and should keep starting, while Ja’Tavion Sanders, Mitchell Evans and Felipe Franks have yet to make much of an impact as receivers.
In Other News...
Panthers May Finally Have A Tight End Answer For Bryce Young
The Panthers have spent enough time looking for a reliable tight end that any credible upgrade is worth a closer look, especially with Bryce Young still in need of more easy answers in the passing game. Bleacher Reports Moe Moton floated a trade idea that would send a mid-round pick to Los Angeles for a veteran who is in the final year of his deal and has produced more as a receiver than Carolinas current tight ends have managed in their careers.
What makes the idea interesting is that the Rams might actually have reason to listen. Their tight end room is crowded enough that a player like Colby Parkinson could become expendable, with Tyler Higbee, Terrance Ferguson and rookie Max Klare all part of the mix. For Carolina, the question is whether this is the kind of move that can stabilize a thin position without costing too much draft capital in the process. [Read more 🡒]
Another Quarterback Debate Is Suddenly Circling The Panthers Again
Anthony Richardsons name is back in circulation for all the familiar reasons: the former No. 4 overall pick has battled injuries and uneven play since arriving in Indianapolis, and his long-term fit there has never quite settled into place. The Colts even let him explore a move during the offseason, a sign that the conversation around him has already shifted from upside to uncertainty.
For now, though, Richardson is still in Indianapolis and competing for the backup job behind an injured Daniel Jones, which keeps the situation in a strange holding pattern. Several quarterback-needy teams are being mentioned as possible landing spots, and the idea of a fresh start has only added to the noise around a player whose value still feels fluid, with any return likely tied to a modest draft pick rather than a major haul. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Fans Are Already Going To Have Opinions On These Rookie Ratings
Leaked Madden 27 ratings are already giving Panthers fans something to debate, with the teams top three rookies from the 2026 draft landing in the middle of the pack before they have even played an NFL snap. Monroe Freeling, Lee Hunter and Chris Brazzell II all showed up in the early numbers, and the ordering lines up pretty closely with how the three were viewed coming out of the draft.
Of course, these are only unofficial ratings, the kind that can shift quickly once real game tape starts piling up. For Carolina, the bigger question is not how a video game sees the rookies in July, but how much those projections change once the season actually starts and the league gets a first real look at what the Panthers have. [Read more 🡒]