The Carolina Panthers’ wide receiver room is starting to take shape for 2026, and the top of the depth chart looks pretty clear. Tetairoa McMillan, Jalen Coker, and Chris Brazzell II appear to be the names driving the conversation as Carolina builds around Bryce Young after last season’s playoff run.
McMillan is the headliner. After winning the 2025 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year award, the former 2025 first-round pick has already put himself on a star track. That kind of impact makes him the cleanest lock on the roster.
Coker’s rise has been one of the biggest developments of the offseason. The 24-year-old 2024 UDFA agreed to a three-year, $35 million extension earlier this offseason, a clear sign the Panthers view him as a major piece of the offense in 2026. With Carolina also using a third-round pick on Tennessee’s Chris Brazzell II, the expectation is that those three will be the main targets for Young.
Brazzell’s draft status gives him a strong foothold right away, but the rest of the receiver room is less settled. Xavier Legette, the former 2024 first-round pick, is still in the mix, though he’s sliding down the depth chart heading into next season. His future could depend heavily on how quickly Brazzell produces as a rookie.
Beyond Legette, David Moore and Jimmy Horn Jr. look like the other most likely candidates to stick. Moore remains a favorite with the coaching staff, while Horn’s ability to make plays on offense and special teams could buy him another year to prove he belongs.
That leaves John Metchie III and Dan Chisena on the outside looking in. Metchie, despite finding a role in a difficult New York Jets offense in 2025, may not have enough of an edge to crack a crowded Carolina group. His Alabama connection with Young helps tell part of the story, but it may not be enough to push him ahead of Legette, Moore, or Horn, all of whom have already worked under Canales.
In Other News...
Panthers May Finally Have A Real Tight End Answer For Bryce Young
The Panthers have spent years trying to patch together a tight end room that never quite gave Bryce Young the kind of reliable middle-of-the-field answer every young quarterback needs. Since 2019, no Carolina tight end has gotten to 500 receiving yards, which helps explain why the position keeps coming up whenever the roster is discussed and why potential fixes tend to draw so much attention.
A few names already sit in the mix as Carolina weighs whether to trade, shop in free agency or simply keep looking for the right fit. Michael Mayer has been floated as a more sensible trade avenue than some other options, while Darren Waller still has enough juice to make the idea interesting after flashing in Miami, including a strong showing against the Panthers at Bank of America Stadium last season. Jonnu Smith, though, has emerged as the most practical target of the group, and if Carolina is serious about stabilizing this part of the offense, the choice may come down to whether it wants upside, familiarity or the cleanest path to making the position matter again. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Suddenly Linked To A Tight End Upgrade Bryce Young Needs
The Panthers have spent the offseason trying to make the roster sturdier around Bryce Young, adding help on defense with Jaelan Phillips and Devin Lloyd and giving the future a little more upside with rookies like Monroe Freeling and Chris Brazzell II. The next obvious step is finding more reliable production at tight end, a spot that can make life easier for a young quarterback by cleaning up the middle of the field and giving him another dependable outlet when plays break down.
That is why the idea floating around ESPN caught some attention, even if it is still just that, an idea. Carolina has been linked to a potential move for a high-end tight end who has the kind of track record that would fit what the Panthers need, and Detroit's financial picture only adds to the speculation. Any deal would not be simple, though, because a trade would almost certainly have to come with real draft value and the kind of long-term commitment that turns a rumor into a major roster decision. [Read more 🡒]
Cam Newton Sounds Off After Troubling News About Former NFL Star
Chris Johnsons health news has landed with a jolt across the football world, and it has a lot of former players thinking beyond the diagnosis itself. The former running back carved out a remarkable NFL career from 2008 to 2017, highlighted by six straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons and a reputation as one of the fastest backs of his era, so hearing his name attached to a serious long-term illness naturally carries extra weight in league circles.
On his podcast, Cam Newton focused less on nostalgia and more on what comes next for the NFL and the people who played in it. Newton said he is very intrigued to see how the league responds and what its plan is to make the game safer while better protecting former players, a question that has only grown louder as more ex-NFL players have dealt with ALS. For Carolina fans, it was a reminder that the conversation around footballs toll does not end when a players career does. [Read more 🡒]