Luke Kuechly is headed to the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year, and the Carolina Panthers are already looking at the next wave of players who might one day join him.
ESPN senior NFL writer Bill Barnwell took on that exercise for all 32 NFL teams, sorting current players by their Hall of Fame outlook. For Carolina, he placed DT Derrick Brown, CB Jaycee Horn and WR Tetairoa McMillan in the “work to do” category.
Barnwell’s case for Horn centered on his growth after a shaky start to his career. “After struggling to stay healthy early in his career, Horn has mostly been able to stay on the field and earned back-to-back Pro Bowl honors for the Panthers,” Barnwell wrote.
“He has been a high-end cover cornerback at his best, although tackling can be an issue for him. McMillan got his career off to a solid start by winning Offensive Rookie of the Year, albeit amid a relatively weak class.
Though a 1,014-receiving yard season was enough to earn the Panther the hardware, he'll need to be more productive to set his sights on a gold jacket one day.”
The numbers back up why those three are at least in the conversation. Brown has 13.0 sacks, 169 solo tackles, 33 tackles for loss and 59 QB hits.
Horn has picked off 10 passes in 53 games for Carolina. McMillan’s rookie season delivered 70 catches, 1,014 receiving yards and seven touchdowns, and it ended with the 2025 Offensive Rookie of the Year award.
McMillan’s first year also came with something bigger for the Panthers as a team. Carolina reached the playoffs last season for the first time since 2017, and even in a loss to Los Angeles, Bryce Young and McMillan flashed the kind of chemistry that can change how a team is viewed around the league.
McMillan said the confidence was there from the start. “Coming into the season and just coming into the league, I was pretty confident in my abilities and what I could do,” McMillan said.
“None of that was a surprise to me. I always try to strive to be the best possible player that I can be and I knew that stuff like Rookie of the Year and all that wasn't too far and I knew that I was capable of achieving those things.”
The rookie also admitted that, despite the big year, his body didn’t always feel right. McMillan finished last season at 205 pounds, and he said he felt “weak” at times.
That sent him into the offseason with a clear focus.
“Just getting my strength and my power back,” McMillan said. “I wasn't used to playing that small.
I felt pretty weak. I didn't have my power back, so that was pretty much the main focus this offseason for me.”
Carolina won’t be sneaking up on anybody in 2026 after making the playoffs in 2025. And with McMillan already looking like a major part of the offense, the Panthers have at least a few names worth watching if this roster is going to produce another Hall of Fame conversation down the road.
In Other News...
Bryce Youngs Viral Interview Moment Has Panthers Fans Talking Again
Before the Panthers took the field for the 2026 Hall of Fame Game, Bryce Young had already given fans one of the more memorable moments of the preseason. The Carolina quarterback sat down with veteran reporter Dave Stevens for an interview and crouched to match Stevens' eye level, a small gesture that fit the kind of scrutiny Young continues to draw as he settles into a bigger role for this franchise. His 2025 season was the best of his career, and Carolina made sure the next stretch of his development will stay in place by exercising his fifth-year contract option for 2026 and 2027.
Young's exchange quickly spread across social media, not just because of the setting but because every public appearance now gets a closer look when a young quarterback is trying to turn a strong year into something more lasting. For the Panthers, it was another reminder that Young's progress is no longer just about box scores or contract language. It is about how he carries himself in moments like this, and why even a brief preseason interview can keep people around the team talking. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Suddenly Have A New Quarterback Question Behind Bryce Young
The Panthers got an encouraging look at Haynes King in the Hall of Fame Game, where the undrafted rookie quarterback showed he can make a real case for himself during the preseason grind. King finished 21 of 34 for 180 yards and two touchdowns, added 39 rushing yards and a rushing score, and in the process gave Carolina a little more to think about behind Bryce Young as camp unfolds.
Bryce Young has already spoken well of Kings work ethic during OTAs and camp, and the rookies first big game only added to the intrigue around the depth chart. King is still expected to open the year as a third-string option or on the practice squad, but his performance created a new question the Panthers did not have to answer before, and it could make the backup battle worth watching a lot more closely. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Backups Just Turned Up The Heat On Key Roster Battles
The Panthers opened the preseason with a 33-30 Hall of Fame Game win over the Cardinals, and even with most of the lineup made up of backups, there was plenty worth noting for a roster still taking shape. Haynes King capped the night with a walk-off score on the final play, but the bigger takeaway for Carolina may have been how several fringe players handled the moment, turning a summer exhibition into an early test of depth.
John Metchie III and AJ Dillon both stood out in ways that could matter when the coaching staff starts sorting through difficult decisions at the bottom of the roster. For a team looking to find reliable pieces behind its starters, performances like these carry extra weight, especially in a game where the competitive edge came less from the final score than from who looked ready to push for a role. [Read more 🡒]