The Carolina Panthers served up a little treat before bed on Tuesday night, as they officially put out their first unofficial depth chart of 2025. And, as they often do, the initial release had a few intriguing takeaways.

Here are the biggest placements of note from Carolina’s opening depth chart of the summer . . .

Running back (third string)

Backing up starting rusher Chuba Hubbard and second-stringer Rico Dowdle is rookie Trevor Etienne, the first of two fourth-round picks from the spring. This may not come as much of a surprise, especially given where the front office drafted him, but that means Etienne currently has the edge over veteran Raheem Blackshear—who’s served as a featured special teamer.

Blackshear has been Carolina’s primary kick returner in each of the past three seasons. So if Etienne (or someone else) can prove that they can handle those duties, Blackshear may not have a spot on the initial 53-man roster.

Luckily for Blackshear, he’s listed as the first-string kick and punt returner—at least for now.

Center (first string)

Austin Corbett might have the advantage in what is perhaps the biggest battle of training camp. He’s noted as the starting center ahead of Cade Mays, who gave a fine account of himself at the position over eight of the Panthers’ last nine games in 2024.

The Panthers have alternated the two hog mollies with the first team thus far.

Safety (first string)

The favorites to earn the job as Tre’von Moehrig’s running mate at the top of the defense have been second-year safety Demani Richardson and rookie Lathan Ransom, the second of the team’s two 2025 fourth-rounders. Heck, Ransom had himself quite the day at practice just hours before this depth chart was issued.

But listed next to Moehrig as a first-string safety was seventh-year veteran Nick Scott. Scott, who returned on a one-year deal in free agency, started four games in Carolina’s secondary in 2024.

Despite the assumption that he’d be back mainly as a special teamer, the 30-year-old is penciled in ahead of the youngsters—who are down as the two second-stringers.

Kicker

The kicking competition also has a veteran leading a youngster, as journeyman Matthew Wright has been placed above undrafted rookie Ryan Fitzgerald.

Fitzgerald has struggled over the past few days, going one-of-three on his field goal tries at Fan Fest and one-of-five on the skinny posts on Tuesday.

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