2026 NFL offseason preview: Carolina Panthers have decisions to make, but optimism is in good supply

The NFL offseason has begun, and Yahoo Sports is previewing the coming months for all 32 teams, from free agency through the draft and more.

Carolina Panthers

2025 season record: 8-9 (o 6.5 wins), first in NFC South, lost to Rams in NFC wild card, 25th in DVOA

Overview

The Panthers are on the right track. An 8-9 record might not feel like a win, but some offensive competence and competitive games would have been the goal heading into the season, and that’s what Carolina got. There are more building blocks in place than there were last season, and this is still one of the youngest teams in the league by snap-weighted age.

There might not be a clear answer about the long-term potential of Bryce Young, who finished the regular season 28th in EPA per play, but there have been enough high marks that the team could feel comfortable getting one more season to figure it out. Tetairoa McMillan is already a rising star on offense and ranked in the top 25 of wide receivers in yards per route run as a rookie.

[Get more Panthers news: Carolina team feed]

Carolina’s trip here was not a straight line — the regular season featured wins against the Packers and Rams, but losses to the Cardinals and Saints — but the Panthers sit at a much better spot than they did coming off last year’s 5-12 record and two years removed from a 2-15 finish, especially after pushing the Rams to the limit in the wild-card round.

Cap/cuts outlook

The Panthers have just under $13 million in effective salary cap space, which is 18th in the league. Moving on from A’Shawn Robinson would give the Panthers the biggest 2026 cap relief at $8.5 million, though Robinson was third on the team in pressures. The team is more likely to move on from smaller hits like Patrick Jones II ($4.75 million), Tommy Tremble ($4.5 million) and Bobby Brown III ($4.4 million). Carolina could also free up nearly $35 million in cap space by restructuring the deals of Robert Hunt, Derrick Brown and Jaycee Horn.

Key pending free agents

OL Cade Mays
OL Austin Corbett
RB Rico Dowdle
S Nick Scott

Corbett beat Mays out for the starting center role in the offseason, but an early-season injury put Mays back in the lineup for most of the season. Mays finished ninth among centers in blown block rate, per Sports Info Solutions. Corbett played all three interior positions, settling at right guard to end the year. Corbett has played only 22 games over the past three seasons. Dowdle signed a one-year deal in free agency and emerged as a productive back who often outshined Chuba Hubbard in the backfield. He was 12th among running backs in EPA per rush.

Positional needs

Linebacker
Edge
Slot corner

The Panthers ranked 31st in pressure rate and 32nd in quarterback hits. Carolina took multiple swings at pass rushers in the draft and there were flashes from second-round pick Nic Scourton, but there was little impact on the edge elsewhere on the roster.

Carolina ranked 30th in DVOA against tight ends and 28th against passes to the short middle of the field. Those were two places where the lack of depth and coverage ability at linebacker was exposed. Christian Rozeboom ranked 86th among 96 linebackers in yards allowed per coverage snap. The Panthers played the fourth-highest rate of dime defense, but didn’t necessarily have the defensive backs to play that way. While the defense had impressive play from outside corners, Carolina was picked apart in the slot. On slot targets, the Panthers ranked 31st in EPA per play allowed.

2026 NFL Draft picks

1st round, pick No. 19
2nd round
3rd round
4th round
5th round (MIN)
5th round
6th round
7th round

Good draft fit

CJ Allen, LB, Georgia

Allen is the type of do-it-all defensive leader who could accelerate the Panthers’ build. He’s a great run defender, holds up well in coverage and is versatile, and that’s simply a hard player to find in today’s NFL.

Betting nugget

The Panthers won all eight of their games this season as an underdog, and went 8-0 against the spread in the regular season in the game following a loss.. — Ben Fawkes

2026 NFL offseason preview: Carolina Panthers have decisions to make, but optimism is in good supply

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