The Panthers’ roster churn is ongoing with the 2026 NFL Draft less than a month away.
Carolina’s brass has put in a ton of legwork throughout March, filling several holes in the depth chart with free agents. The leadership group has also retained several familiar faces to help defend the NFC South division title during the upcoming season.
The Panthers have seven draft picks in the upcoming selection process. And while they’re in good position to enhance their roster outlook for the long haul, the weight of this season should create the desire to get better now.
That said, The Charlotte Observer has laid out the pre-draft depth chart to see where there are opportunities for upgrades or competition:
Quarterback
The Starter: Bryce Young
The Depth: Kenny Pickett
Young will head into his fourth season with considerable expectations but little reason to look over his shoulder.
Pickett is here to serve Young as his veteran backup in 2026. The Panthers have hinted at the desire to draft a young QB to develop behind Young for the long haul, and that outlook hasn’t changed with the arrival of Pickett.
Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young and running back Chuba Hubbard, right, celebrate Hubbard’s touchdown run against the Los Angeles Rams at Bank of America Stadium on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. The Rams defeated the Panthers 34-31. JEFF SINER jsiner@charlotteobserver.com Running back
The Starter: Chuba Hubbard
The Depth: Jonathon Brooks, Trevor Etienne, AJ Dillon, Montrell Johnson Jr., Anthony Tyus III
The Panthers won’t know what they have in Brooks until he plays in a game, but the organization has high hopes for the 2024 second-round pick. After back-to-back ACL surgeries, Brooks has been limited to just three NFL games, so Hubbard will go back to his familiar function as the team’s primary ball-carrier.
The Panthers are comfortable with Hubbard toting the ball, and Etienne — a fourth-round pick last year — has shown some flashes. Dillon is here to compete for a short-yardage role and serve as insurance in case Brooks suffers a setback in camp. Johnson and Tyus will compete for a practice squad spot, barring multiple injuries.
Wide receiver
The Starters: Tetairoa McMillan, Xaiver Legette, Jalen Coker (slot)
The Depth: John Metchie III, Brycen Tremayne, Jimmy Horn Jr., David Moore, Dan Chisena, Ainias Smith, Ja’seem Reed
Suddenly, the wide receiver room in Carolina feels crowded.
McMillan is the team’s primary offensive weapon, while Coker has shown he can be a capable starter when healthy. Legette, a 2024 first-round pick, is the player with the most non-injury-related questions on the roster. And it’s fair to wonder if Legette is on the way out as the team prepares for a draft with plenty of wide receiver talent in it.
Legette, if he remains on the roster heading into camp, will be pushed by the likes of Metchie, Horn and Tremayne. The Panthers also brought back Moore, who is a favorite of the staff — most notably, head coach Dave Canales.
Even with Moore returning and Metchie being added to the fold, the Panthers are likely to spend a draft pick on a wide receiver. The team takes the position seriously, as proof by the amount of draft capital invested in wide receivers over the past two years.
Tight end
The Starter: Tommy Tremble
The Depth: Ja’Tavion Sanders, Mitchell Evans, James Mitchell, Feleipe Franks, Bryce Pierre
Tremble’s contract became partially guaranteed this month, and he is expected to be a key cog in the offensive machine this season. Sanders is coming off ankle surgery, but GM Dan Morgan said last week that he is expected to be cleared before organized team activities. Evans, a fifth-round pick last year, had a pretty impressive season as the team’s No. 3 tight end for the bulk of the campaign, and his role should grow in 2026.
The Panthers have safeguarded the depth at the position by bringing back Franks, a special teams ace, and Mitchell. Franks, who spent last season with Atlanta, could force the team to keep four tight ends because he is a standout on kickoff and punt coverage.
The team could also turn to the draft to upgrade the offensive aspect of the depth chart. That prospect would likely be a proficient pass-catcher who can complement Tremble in two-tight end sets.
Carolina Panthers tight end Tommy Tremble fights for yardage as the Los Angeles Rams defense looks to make a tackle during action at Bank of America Stadium on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. The Rams defeated the Panthers 34-31. JEFF SINER jsiner@charlotteobserver.com Offensive line
The Starters: Rasheed Walker (LT), Damien Lewis (LG), Luke Fortner (C), Robert Hunt (RG), Taylor Moton (RT)
The Depth: Chandler Zavala, Stone Forsythe, Nick Samac, Saahdiq Charles, Joshua Gray, Ja’Tyre Carter
Injured: Ickey Ekwonu (patellar tendon)
Walker was signed to a one-year “prove it” deal after his market failed to develop in free agency. He will serve as the immediate insurance for Ekwonu, who is recovering from January knee surgery. Fortner also signed a one-year deal, which will put him in position to succeed Cade Mays — now in Detroit — at center.
Beyond those two additions, the starting lineup will remain the same, with the team’s best three linemen over the past two years returning. Zavala and Samac are back to potentially serve as immediate backups at guard and center, respectively.
After those seven players, things get a little tough to project. Charles was with the team last year as a reserve guard, but the Panthers can afford to upgrade over him. Forsythe was brought in as depth, but he could face legitimate competition from a draft pick. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Panthers double dip on offensive linemen in the draft, even after signing three veterans to join the mix.
Defensive line
The Starters: Derrick Brown (DE), Bobby Brown (NT), Turk Wharton (DE)
The Depth: LaBryan Ray, Cam Jackson, Jared Harrison-Hunte
The defensive line has a clear need for upgraded depth heading into the draft. The loss of A’Shawn Robinson is a glaring one at the moment, and replacing the 2024 sack leader should be a priority in April.
For now, Wharton and Bobby Brown will be situated next to Derrick Brown in the starting lineup. That may change if the Panthers can find a worthwhile Robinson replacement in the first three rounds.
Ray has been with the Panthers for three seasons, and the staff digs his ability to rotate into the front. Jackson, a fifth-round pick last year, is a massive nose tackle that needs to develop into more than a big body. Harrison-Hunte is developmental lineman still awaiting his first regular-season snap.
Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Derrick Brown, left, pressures Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, right, in the pocket at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC on Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025. Brown would cause Stafford to fumble the ball with the Panthers recovering. The Panthers defeated the Rams 31-28. JEFF SINER jsiner@charlotteobserver.com Inside linebacker
The Starters: Devin Lloyd, Trevin Wallace
The Depth: Claudin Cherelus, Bam Martin-Scott, Maema Njongmeta, Jacoby Windmon, Maz Mwansa, Jared Bartlett
The Panthers signed Lloyd to a three-year, $45 million deal to lead the defense. He will be paired with 2024 third-round pick Trevin Wallace in the starting lineup, barring a major addition in the draft.
Given the work the Panthers have done in free agency, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Carolina snag an inside linebacker in the first three rounds in April.
Cherelus, Martin-Scott, Njongmeta and Windmon will all be competing for depth jobs. Cherelus and Martin-Scott, in particular, have defensive upside, so they might have edges over Njongmeta and Windmon, who are most likely to be used as special team players.
Outside linebacker
The Starters: Jaelan Phillips, Nic Scourton
The Depth: Pat Jones, Princely Umanmielen, Trevis Gipson, Thomas Incoom, Nick Hampton, Jamil Muhammad
The Panthers signed Phillips to a four-year, $120 million deal in free agency. He will be counted on as the alpha edge rusher in Ejiro Evero’s 3-4 defense this season and beyond.
Scourton, who had an impressive rookie season, is expected to take a major leap in production in his second season and first full campaign as a starter.
Umanmielen and Jones will provide the primary depth in a pass-rushing rotation. Gipson, Incoom and Hampton will be expected to compete for major special teams roles and depth outside linebacker jobs.
Cornerback
The Starters: Jaycee Horn, Mike Jackson
The Depth: Chau Smith-Wade (nickel), Corey Thornton, Akayleb Evans, Robert Rochell, Mike Reid, Tyrek Funderburk
Horn — a two-time Pro Bowl selection — and Jackson made up one of the better cornerback duos in the NFL last season. Smith-Wade returns as the primary nickel corner, though he could be supplanted by the team’s draft plans or be moved to safety, where he might fair better in coverage.
The team is excited by Thornton, who made the team as an undrafted rookie last season. He might be an option to replace Smith-Wade at the nickel position if he moves to safety. Evans and Rochell were re-signed to primarily serve as special teams cogs. Reid and Funderburk, an Indian Trail native, will compete with Rochell for a depth job.
Carolina Panthers safety Lathan Ransom, left and cornerback Jaycee Horn, right, make the tackle on Miami Dolphins tight end Julian Hill, center, during action on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC. The Panthers defeated the Dolphins 27-24. JEFF SINER jsiner@charlotteobserver.com Safety
The Starters: Tre’von Moehrig, Nick Scott
The Depth: Lathan Ransom (big nickel), Isaiah Simmons, Demani Richardson
The Panthers’ popular “big” nickel package will feature the familiar trio of Moehrig, Scott and Ransom in 2026, barring an upgrade in the draft.
Scott signed a one-year incentive-laden deal this month. He was given a raise in salary after starting all 18 games (including playoffs) last year. Scott is a favorite of the coaching staff, and for the most part, was serviceable in his role last season. That said, “post” safety feels like a spot where the Panthers should look to upgrade for the long haul, as early as the first round.
Simmons is an intriguing player with a strong draft pedigree and unusual traits. At worst, he will be a standout on special teams. At best, he could be another moveable chess piece on defense, similar to Moehrig.
Richardson has been in the system for two years, and this third offseason will be a huge one for his future in Carolina.
Special teams
The Starters: JJ Jansen (LS), Ryan Fitzgerald (K), Sam Martin (P)
The Depth: N/A
The Panthers re-signed Jansen and Martin this offseason. The 2025 trio will stay intact, barring injury.
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