The Carolina Panthers made a few huge splashes on Monday — one within the hour of the legal tampering window opening up, in fact.
But there’s still plenty of work to do on the free agency front.
The Charlotte Observer is tracking all the free-agency-related wheelings and dealings from Tuesday (Day 2) on this live tracker. You can track Wednesday’s action here.
A reminder: Any deals with external free agents are not “official” until the new league year, which begins 4 p.m. Wednesday.
Panthers bring in an experienced tackle
The Panthers have reached a contract agreement with former Las Vegas Raiders offensive tackle Stone Forsythe, a league source confirmed to The Charlotte Observer.
The terms of the deal weren’t immediately disclosed.
Forsythe, 28, is entering his sixth season in the NFL. He spent last season with the Raiders, appearing in all 17 games with 13 starts.
Prior to joining the Raiders, Forsythe was cut by the New York Giants after signing with the franchise last offseason. He originally came into the league as a sixth-round pick of the Seattle Seahawks in 2021.
Forsythe spent four seasons in Seattle. He was a rookie during Panthers coach Dave Canales’ final season with the Seahawks. In all, Forsythe has appeared in 70 games (27 starts) in his career.
The veteran lineman, listed as 6-foot-8 and 307 pounds, profiles as a swing tackle.
Entering Wednesday’s new league year, starters Ickey Ekwonu and Taylor Moton are the only tackles under contract. Forsythe could serve as veteran insurance for Ekwonu, who is recovering from patellar tendon surgery.
The Panthers will almost certainly add another offensive tackle to the lineup in free agency and/or April’s draft.
Panthers agree to terms on deal with veteran center
The Panthers took a break from re-signing internal free agents to add a veteran center to their roster.
The team agreed to terms with former New Orleans Saints center Luke Fortner on a one-year deal on Tuesday, a league source told The Charlotte Observer. The deal can’t become official until the start of the new league year at 4 p.m. Wednesday.
Center Luke Fortner, shown here as a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2023. Mike Carlson Getty Images
Fortner joins former teammate, inside linebacker Devin Lloyd, as part of the Panthers’ external free-agent haul. Fortner and Lloyd were both drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2022. Lloyd was selected in the first round, while Fortner was taken in the third round.
Fortner spent his first three seasons in Jacksonville. He started all 34 games during his first two campaigns. However, he was limited to reserve duty in 2024. He was traded to the Saints in 2025 and played in all 17 games (10 starts). Fortner, who played college ball at Kentucky, has yet to miss a game due to injury in his NFL career.
Fortner, 27, will be considered the favorite for the starting center job entering the remainder of the offseason. The 6-foot-4, 307-pound lineman’s only competition on the roster right now is third-year lineman Nick Samac.
Veteran wide receiver re-signs with Panthers
The Panthers, on a busy Tuesday for internal movement, re-signed wide receiver David Moore.
Moore spent the bulk of last season on the injured reserve list with a notable elbow injury. He appeared in just four games in 2025, catching one pass for five yards and adding another 12 yards as a runner on the play that ultimately shelved him for the remainder of the regular season.
Carolina Panthers wide receiver David Moore, right, fights for yardage against the Pittsburgh Steelers defense at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC on Thursday, August 21, 2025. JEFF SINER jsiner@charlotteobserver.com
Moore, a prized pupil of head coach Dave Canales, has appeared in 21 games (seven starts) for Carolina over the two seasons. He is the sixth internal free agent to re-sign with the Panthers since Monday.
Long snapper JJ Jansen re-signed in February as well.
Former Clemson standout returns to Carolina
Isaiah Simmons is staying put in the Carolinas.
The former Clemson Tigers defender has agreed to terms on a contract with the Panthers, a league source confirmed. The NFL Network was first to report the pact.
The terms of the agreement weren’t immediately made available. Simmons was set to become an unrestricted free agent on Wednesday.
Simmons worked exclusively at safety on defense for the Panthers after being signed in the middle of last season. He also contributed heavily on special teams.
Simmons blocked a punt in the team’s playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams in January.
The former first-round pick told The Charlotte Observer in January that he was pleased to be working at safety after years of being typecast as a hybrid linebacker.
“I love it, actually,” Simmons said. “I wish this is how it’s been my whole career to be honest. Because any time I’ve ever been playing multiple positions in a defense, it’s because I’m playing one position, but there’s calls within that give me different responsibilities as opposed to learning every single job at three different positions.”
Panthers release A’Shawn Robinson, freeing up cap space
The Panthers opened up a big chunk of cap space on Tuesday following the release of veteran defensive lineman A’Shawn Robinson.
Robinson’s release will open up $10.5 million in cap space, according to Over the Cap. Robinson was due a $7.64 million base salary in 2026, but his cap number for the season was set at $12.6 million.
Robinson — who turns 31 in March — signed a three-year, $22.5 million contract with the Panthers in 2024. He produced 145 total tackles, eight sacks and four pass breakups during his two seasons with the team. (READ MORE HERE.)
Carolina Panthers defensive end A’Shawn Robinson, right, celebrates with Carolina Panthers kicker Ryan Fitzgerald at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C., on Sunday, September 21, 2025. KHADEJEH NIKOUYEH Knikouyeh@charlotteobserver.com Panthers bring back top special teams ace
The Panthers have retained one of their best special teams players from last season.
The team agreed to terms with outside linebacker Thomas Incoom on Tuesday, a league source confirmed to The Charlotte Observer. His agency, SportsTrust Advisors, announced the return on X as well.
Incoom was set to become a restricted free agent at 4 p.m. Wednesday at the start of the new league year. The terms of the new deal were not immediately disclosed.
Incoom, who turned 27 in February, led the Panthers with 16 special teams tackles last season. He has become a major part of the core group for special teams coordinator Tracy Smith over the past two years.
“He can explode off the snap in whatever phase he’s in, whether it’s backwards or forwards,” Smith said about Incoom in September. The coordinator added that he “leads the nation in want-to” when it comes to special teams. (READ MORE HERE.)
Carolina Panthers linebacker Thomas Incoom reacts after a tackle in the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Bank of America Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) Grant Halverson Getty Images Panthers make official two transactions, one at defensive end
The Panthers announced Tuesday morning that they’ve re-signed defensive lineman LaBryan Ray and cornerback Robert Rochell.
Ray was previously scheduled to become a restricted free agent. He’s spent the past three seasons with the team, appearing in 46 games (10 starts). At one point last year — considering all the injuries this defense had gone through the past few seasons — he was the player with the most games played in the Ejiro Evero-constructed Panthers defense. His stat-line: 73 tackles, one sack.
The decision to keep Ray in Carolina isn’t the only question the Panthers will need to answer this offseason along the defensive line. Another: What will they do with A’Shawn Robinson? The team, after all, agreed to let Robinson’s representation field trade offers last month; if Robinson is cut prior to June 1, the team will save $10.5 million against the salary cap, according to Over The Cap, and incur $2.06 million in dead money.
Rochell’s signing was covered Monday, as a league source confirmed to The Observer that the depth piece in the secondary and special teams player was staying put.
Carolina Panthers defensive end LaBryan Ray is introduced prior to the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Bank of America Stadium on December 15, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Jared C. Tilton Getty Images Recapping Day 1 of free agency for Carolina Panthers
For a full review of the Panthers’ foray into 2026 free agency on Monday, click here. But here’s the gist:
The Panthers got their guy at inside linebacker, and they did it right before closing their doors for the day. Just after 10 p.m. Monday, a league source confirmed to The Observer that the Panthers had signed inside linebacker Devin Lloyd to a three-year, $45 million deal. Lloyd was one of the best inside linebackers — if not the best ILB — available on the free agent market coming into Monday after a Pro Bowl 2025. The move addresses a massive need for this Panthers defense, too.Carolina beefed up its pass rush when the team agreed to terms with Eagles outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips. A league source confirmed to The Observer that it was a four-year, $120 million deal. The 26-year-old California native finished with five sacks in 2025; he spent the first nine games with the Miami Dolphins and then finished off the season with the Philadelphia Eagles. His pressure rate numbers are remarkable — even if his sack numbers aren’t — which is great news for a Panthers pass rush that was among the worst in the league last year. Phillips also played a complete season in 2025 after seeing two separate significant injuries end his seasons in 2023 (Achilles) and 2024 (ACL).General manager Dan Morgan followed through on his stated desire to add a young quarterback this offseason when the Panthers’ front office agreed to terms with Kenny Pickett late Monday. Pickett, 27, spent 2025 as second-string quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders. He appeared in six games — notching two starts — and threw for 188 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions with a 62.2% completion percentage. Seems like a backup QB competition between Pickett and 38-year-old Andy Dalton could be brewing this training camp.The Panthers got some no-brainers out of the way, too. Two in particular: bringing back corners/special teams players Akayleb Evans and Robert Rochell. Both are back on one-year deals and will be depth pieces to a secondary that came together nicely in 2025 — particularly with the career-best play of Mike Jackson and the second consecutive Pro Bowl season of Jaycee Horn.The Panthers did not retain their starting center from 2025. Cade Mays hit the open market Monday and found what he was looking for with the Detroit Lions. From a money perspective, that amounted to three years, $25 million. This doesn’t end the decisions the Panthers will have to make along the offensive line, however. The team will also need to assess the futures of interior OL Brady Christensen and IOL (with starting center experience in Carolina) Austin Corbett — both of whom are unrestricted free agents.The Panthers also bid farewell to running back Rico Dowdle, who reportedly is headed to the Pittsburgh Steelers after his 1,000-plus rushing-yard season with the Panthers. Such news was significant, even if unsurprising. 
Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (left) and center Cade Mays (right) after a touchdown pass during a 2025 game against the Dallas Cowboys at Bank of America Stadium. Jared C. Tilton Getty Images List of Panthers’ internal free agents
The unrestricted free agents: They can negotiate with other teams as well as the Panthers.
The restricted free agents who haven’t yet been offered a tender: If they don’t receive a qualifying offer by 4 p.m. on Wednesday, they’ll be unrestricted free agents.
The exclusive rights free agents: These players can only negotiate with their incumbent teams. The Panthers have extended both Jalen Coker and Brycen Tremayne qualifying offers — or league mininum salaries for one year — but they each can continue to negotiate with the Carolina front office.
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker, left, is pushed out of bounds by Los Angeles Rams linebacker Nate Landman, center, following a pass reception on Jan. 10, 2026, at Bank of America Stadium. Landman was penalized on the play. The Rams defeated the Panthers 34-31. JEFF SINER jsiner@charlotteobserver.com Notable offseason needs for Panthers
The Panthers have already addressed some of the needs listed below. And of course, they also have the NFL Draft in April to address others. But it would be interesting to see if the Panthers elect to dip their toes in the tight end market.
They’re pretty set at the position from the outside. They really like Mitchell Evans, who just wrapped his rookie year. Tommy Tremble had a career-year as a receiver and was reliably sound as a blocker. Ja’Tavion Sanders, when healthy, was adequate, too.
But for a team that last year used so much 12 and 13 personnel, do the Panthers swing for a free-agent tight end on a short-term deal? Do they go out and get a veteran in, say, David Njoku of the Cleveland Browns? Dallas Goedert of the Eagles? What about Tyler Conklin, whose previous annual average value, per Sportac, was just about $3 million?
It’s something to watch as the rest of the legal negotiation window unfolds. Read up more on the rest of the team’s needs below:
Carolina Panthers offensive tackle Yosh Nijman during a 2025 preseason game in Houston. Tim Warner Getty Images
This story was originally published March 10, 2026 at 5:30 AM.
The Charlotte Observer
Alex Zietlow writes about the Carolina Panthers and the ways in which sports intersect with life for The Charlotte Observer, where he has been a reporter since August 2022. Zietlow’s work has been honored by the Pro Football Writers Association, the N.C. and S.C. Press Associations, as well as the Associated Press Sports Editors (APSE) group. He’s earned six APSE Top 10 distinctions for his coverage on a variety of topics, from billion-dollar stadium renovations to the small moments of triumph that helped a Panthers kicker defy the steepest odds in sports. Zietlow previously wrote for The Herald in Rock Hill (S.C.) from 2019-22.
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The Charlotte Observer
Mike Kaye writes about the Carolina Panthers for The Charlotte Observer. He also co-hosts “Processing Blue: A Panthers Podcast” for The Observer. Kaye’s work in columns/analysis and sports feature writing has been honored by the North Carolina Press Association (NCPA). His reporting has also received recognition from the Associated Press Sports Editors (APSE).Kaye previously covered the entire NFL for Pro Football Network, the Philadelphia Eagles for NJ Advance Media and the Jacksonville Jaguars for First Coast News. Support my work with a digital subscription