Carolina Panthers 2026 Mock Offseason
Keep Pounding
Image 1: Franchise legend Cam Newton pounding the drum at the first Panthers playoff game in a decade
Introductions
Hello everyone! My name is Jared Zhang, and I make NFL Draft content that I post on Reddit and Twitter. These past few weeks I was the GM for the Carolina Panthers for the r/NFLDraft Discord mock offseason. Firstly, I want to shout out Amelia, Zack, and Greg for helping me during the off-season, while also shouting out the administrators and agents that helped make this mock off-season possible. I will be covering all the restructures, extensions, trades, free agent signings, and draft decisions made and the philosophy behind them all. I will also be including film on external players who are not on the team. Let’s first discuss the vision for the offseason.
The Plan
Image 2: WR Tetairoa McMillan after winning the OROTY
With the team finally making a playoff appearance and Bryce Young coming into his own as a player, I wanted to be aggressive in acquiring talent to make a push in a continually weak NFC South. Due to having clean books in future years and easy restructuring options to free up 2026 cap space, the team is in a position to be able to spend big on FAs and take on contracts from teams with bloated cap sheets.
On offense, the team has a pretty clear need at pass catcher. While McMillan flashed impressive ability as a rookie, the team lacked a reliable number two option on offense with Coker being hurt and the other options on offense (Tremble, Sanders, Legette, etc) being average/mediocre. Coker being tendered and returning for 2026 helps with the issue, but the team still needs to add more competent pass-catching options. Beyond playmakers, Carolina needs to address the options at OT with Ikem Ekwonu being unavailable due to a late patellar tendon injury and Taylor Moton getting older. With a potential one-year starter and long-term answer being needed, OT is a position we likely need to double-dip assets on.
Besides addressing holes on offense, a big goal of this offseason was to re-innovate the offensive scheme. With Carolina primarily existing out of 11 personnel, we wanted to add pieces to the offense to be able to run more 12 personnel to help out the play-action/run game. Beyond copying the trend of multi-TE sets seen in the top offenses in the NFL, we wanted to add something not generally seen in Canales’ offenses: a fullback. With 9 of 16 playoff teams rostering a fullback (the Super Bowl Champion Seattle Seahawks technically rostered two), the addition of a fullback could help increase the efficiency of our run concepts by adding a more legitimate lead blocker on run concepts than what our current array of TE/DT/WRs would provide.
On defense, the team’s FA additions of Tre’von Moehrig and Tershawn Wharton alongside rookie Nic Scourton have revamped Carolina’s defensive unit. Alongside stars like Horn and Brown, Carolina has the bones to create a great defense if they are able to address two main position groups: EDGE and LB.
At EDGE, Scourton has shown to be a genuine building block, but the majority of the room has looked mediocre, been hurt, or are young. While the majority of our pass rush looks will be going to Brown, another player who could receive pass rush looks while doing secondary roles to set up other members of our DL would be a major addition. Though we want to make a big splash in FA, draft, or trade, we still need competent role players to fill in the rotation as Umanimelen has been primarily a team player with limited ability when on the field and Patrick Jones II is a solid player who is coming off a season-ending back injury.
At LB, there is a lot less to build on. While rookie Martin-Scott has been a core ST player as a UDFA, the Panthers had one of the worst LB corps in the NFL last season. While Roseboom has carved out a good career as a former UDFA, he has continued to struggle in space due to his athletic limitations and is not a player that we plan on re-signing this offseason. Wallace has shown a lot of growth as a player, but he still has a lot of warts as a player that make him a difficult linebacker to start for a playoff contender’s defense. As a run defender, Wallace has grown a lot from last year in terms of consistency in his processing and tackling. As a coverage player, Wallace has good range, but his heavy feet and stiff movements make it difficult for him to be a truly impactful coverage player as a linebacker. Wallace is a player we want to keep on the team as an ongoing project due to his HWS combination, but we are likely going to look for an upgrade at one of our starting LB spots for next year. Though he is a quality depth player and special teamer, Wallace is someone who could still wind up being a starter down the road due to his age (he just turned 23 on February 22nd).
On special teams, the kicking and coverage teams were extremely solid, but we need an upgrade at returner. With Etienne being the primary player on punt and kick return, the team did not benefit a lot from getting easy additional yardage with the new dynamic kickoff rules. While Etienne will have a chance to prove himself next year to keep his roster spot, we will be looking for cheap options in FA, draft, and undrafted free agency to give competition to Etienne as the team’s return specialist.
Restructures and Extensions
Image 3: CB Michael Jackson Sr (2) and CB Jaycee Horn (8) celebrating in game
To free up 2026 cap space, we are restructuring Derrick Brown (frees up 11,623,333), Robert Hunt (frees up 11,856,667), and Jaycee Horn (frees up 12,315,000). For extensions, we are extending Tommy Tremble (2 yr 16m, 8 APY, 11.67 guaranteed) and Michael Jackson (2 yr 33m, 16.5 APY, 23.65m). With both being key starters for us, Tremble and Jackson’s extensions allow us to not worry about replacing in-line TE and CB2 while reducing their 2026 cap hits. For Young, we decided to pick up his fifth year option and not pursue an extension at this time. While he has looked better than previous seasons, Young still has looked inconsistent and we are delaying another year in case we decide we need to move off from Young for a different option at QB.
Pre-Draft Trades
Image 4: EDGE Rashan Gary (52) in a three-point stance for the Green Bay Packers
Carolina Panthers: 5.157 and A’Shawn Robinson (Carolina eats 3.5 of Robinson’s contract)
Green Bay Packers: Rashan Gary
With the team desperately needing EDGE talent and needing to move off Robinson’s contract, Rashan Gary kills two birds with one stone. A good contain and stunt player, Gary is a high-end role player who instantly becomes our best complementary piece to Derrick Brown. If the rush does not win quickly, Gary’s closing speed and ability to slip contain quickly make him our best late winner who can clean up to get coverage sacks. When we need to give Brown a rest or Brown gets injured, Gary is capable of receiving two-way goes and being our primary rush option. While he has done this less in Green Bay’s current defensive scheme, Gary has experience rushing stand up and dropping into coverage. Overall, Gary is just a very cheap option at EDGE that immediately revamps our ability to rush the passer while being a scheme fit. In terms of money, Gary’s contract does not have any guaranteed money, so a simple restructure turning most of the base salary into a signing bonus and adding voids makes his cap hit in 2026 very manageable. For 2027, Gary is an easy extension and restructure candidate who can prove his value in an expanded role for this defense.
Video 1: EDGE Rashan Gary (52) contains and then slips to make the tackle
Video 2: EDGE Rashan Gary (52) uses speed-to-power to get the sack on the two-way go
Video 3: EDGE Rashan Gary (52) sets an edge and makes a play in the backfield
Video 4: EDGE Rashan Gary (52) loops and uses his closing speed to register a QB hit
Image 5: S Xavier Woods (25) climbing the ladder to break up a pass
Carolina Panthers: 6.199
Tennessee Titans: Xavier Woods
While his final year in Carolina was not great, Xavier Woods has been a solid starter with the Tennessee Titans and rebounded majorly. A good starter at S, Woods having a homecoming with Carolina was tempting as he would be a cheap, one year cap hit for a position that is being bloated in contract value (Ex. Nick Cross received 17.5 APY and Jalen Thompson received 15 APY in this mock offseason). With Carolina using Trevon Moe’hrig primarily near the LOS as a big NB, Woods becomes our best in-space cover player while being incredibly physical when crashing on ball carriers as a tackler. We will need to find his eventual replacement in the draft, but Woods lets a starting split safety not be a pressing need.
Video 5: S Xavier Woods (25) reads the QB and quickly drives on the ball for an interception
Video 6: S Xavier Woods (25) fits the run and submarine hits the RB
Video 7: S Xavier Woods (25) reads the screen and prevents the WR from staying in bounds
Image 6: WR Xavier Legette (17) adjusting his body to make a difficult catch
Carolina Panthers: Xavier Legette, 7.235
Cincinnati Bengals: 4.110
With us burning a ton of day three capital and looking to look for better starting options at WR, Xavier Legette being moved is not surprising. After another disappointing year filled with mental errors, poor separation, and poor ball skills, Carolina cannot afford to roll the dice on Legette ever being a starting-caliber WR. There still is some upside with Legette due to his rare height, weight, and speed combination, but we will let the Bengals attempt to fix this reclamation project as we look for immediate contributors for a playoff hopeful.
Video 8: WR Xavier Legette (17) gets jammed to the dirt when attempting to get off the LOS
Video 9: WR Xavier Legette (17) body catches and fails to secure the ball in bounds
Video 10: WR Xavier Legette (17) fails to box out the smaller DB to make the contested catch
Internal Free Agents
Image 7: LS JJ Jansen (44) and K Ryan Fitzgerald (10) helping P Sam Martin (6) with his pads
JJ Janson - LS - 1 year - 1.6 m - 1.6 m APY - 1.1m guaranteed
Sam Martin - P - 1 year - 1.6 m - 1.6 m APY - 1.6m guaranteed
With the Panthers punting and kicking game being great, we made sure to secure JJ Jansen and Sam Martin to bring back the same core special teams unit. Though we are going to sign UDFAs for camp/preseason competition, these players are mainly going to be players to stash on the PS to be potential future options to replace the aging Martin and Jansen.
Image 8: LB/S JJ Isaiah Simmons (27) with the Carolina Panthers
Isaiah Simmons - ST/LB/NB - 2 years - 6 m - 3 m APY - 4m guaranteed
While his NFL career has gone awry from his initial billing, Isaiah Simmons has been a good special-teams ace for Carolina due to his combination of size and speed. With the size to be a good punt protector and the speed to be a great gunner, Simmons’ versatility on special teams is incredibly useful. Beyond special teams, Simmons’ athletic profile makes him a perfect candidate to potentially develop into a big NB. With how defenses have been deploying position versatile DBs (Ex. Kyle Hamilton, Nick Emmanwori, and Derwin James), Simmons with an offseason/training camp with Evero could have him turn into a real difference maker on defense. Though this conversation has been had with him for about his entire career, Simmons’ floor as a good, versatile special teams player still makes him worth the contract even if he never develops enough to see the field on defense.
Video 11: LB/S Isaiah Simmons (27) beats the rest of his coverage team to the returner due to his coverage range
Video 12: LB/S Isaiah Simmons (27) beats his coverage unit to the returner as a gunner
Video 13: LB/S Isaiah Simmons (27) bulldozes the blocker and makes a tackle on the kickoff
Image 9: OG/OT/OC Brady Christensen (70) in pass protection
Brady Christensen - OG/OT/OC - 1 year - 4 m - 4 m APY - 4m guaranteed
With experience playing three spots on the line, Brady Christensen is an important glue guy for our OL by being a solid backup at three spots. While he is older and coming off an Achilles injury that will sideline him for the early part of this season, Christensen’s versatility will make him a valuable piece when he returns for our hopeful playoff push in the second half of the season. By signing him to a cheap one-year contract to evaluate what he looks like post-injury, Carolina secures capable depth at three positions for half a season while also not being tied down with paying an aging, injured Christensen over multiple seasons.
Video 14: OG/OT/OC Brady Christensen filling in at OG
Video 15: OG/OT/OC Brady Christensen filling in at OC
Video 16: OG/OT/OC Brady Christensen filling in at OT
External Free Agents
Image 10: QB Gardner Minshew (17) with the Kansas City Chiefs
Gardner Minshew - QB - 1 year - 1.4 m - 1.4 m APY - 400k guaranteed
While we still intend to get a young QB to compete for the QB3 spot, Carolina signing Gardner Minshew gives us a capable rosterable QB for 2026. There are many inherent limitations with Minshew due to his arm and physical tools, but he has shown the ability to be a playable backup and has plenty of experience working heavy amounts of under-center play action. For a player who we were able to sign for close to the vet minimum, we are thrilled to have Minshew on the roster.
Video 17: QB Gardner Minshew (17) pump fakes and scrambles up field
Video 18: QB Gardner Minshew (17) escapes the pressure and makes a throw on the run
Video 19: QB Gardner Minshew (17) makes a big throw under pressure from under center
Image 11: FB Pat Ricard (42) catching a touchdown for the Baltimore Ravens
Pat Ricard - FB - 2 years - 9 m - 4.5 m APY - 6 m guaranteed
While the Panthers have not rostered a FB with Canales, Pat Ricard is a truly difference-making player. As a 300+ lb fullback, Ricard is unsurprisingly great at being the lead blocker on run concepts that can detonate LBs that he climbs onto. However, Ricard is a special player due to his ability to work as an extension of the TE room. By being the weight of many OTs, Ricard is the best pass-protecting FB in the NFL. With the Panthers running a lot of under-center play action passing concepts, Ricard working as the Y/F TE would buy a lot more time for Bryce to process the field and get the ball out for explosive plays. Ricard will not be much of a rushing or pass-catching threat individually, but his impact as an elite blocking multiplier would have a momentous impact on our offense.
Video 20: FB Pat Ricard (42) aligned as a Wing-TE and double teams in pass protection
Video 21: FB Pat Ricard (42) as the lead blocker on a run concept and detonates a LB
Video 22: FB Pat Ricard (42) chips in pass protection and catches the check down
Image 12: RB Chris Rodriguez Jr (36) getting a carry for the Washington Commanders
Chris Rodriguez Jr. - RB - 1 year - 3 m - 3 m APY - 3 m guaranteed
With Rico Dowdle being a pending FA and Chubba Hubbard taking a step back, Chris Rodriguez Jr provides a stable secondary RB option for a room with more question marks than you would want. A smart back with good vision, contact balance, and blocking, Rodriguez is a very well-rounded player that will play an amount of snaps in a committee with Hubbard. Given Brooks’ health and Etienne’s lack of blocking ability, Rodriguez would also be our lead RB in case of an injury to Hubbard due to his ability to play on all three downs.
Video 23: RB Chris Rodriguez Jr (36) jump cuts and rips off a big run
Video 24: RB Chris Rodriguez Jr (36) breaks the first tackle and rips off a big run
Video 25: RB Chris Rodriguez Jr (36) blocks the blitzing LB and helps get the ball out
Video 26: RB Chris Rodriguez Jr (36) catches the pass and makes the first defender miss
Image 13: WR Dyami Brown (5) making a play in space for the Jacksonville Jaguars
Dyami Brown - WR - 1 year - 7 m - 7 m APY - 7 m guaranteed
With Xavier Legette off the team, Carolina needs to add in a field-stretching WR option to potentially be the WR3 of this team. Dyami Brown is an excellent budget one year rental for this exact role. Though his previous one-year prove it deal with Jacksonville did not get him the payday he hoped for, Brown’s deep speed allowed him to be a capable field-stretching option for the team. While we will still be looking for options in the draft that may bump Brown outside the starting 3, Brown is solid in a depth role due to his experience as a gunner and kick returner. For a team that had a mediocre return game, Dyami can help us get better starting field position. Also a fun addition due to him being from Charlotte.
Video 27: WR Dyami Brown (5) speed cuts and gets open on the dig
Video 28: WR Dyami Brown (5) busts the coverage for an explosive play down field
Video 29: WR Dyami Brown (5) uses his physicality to beat press coverage for the touchdown
Image 14: WR/PR Kalif Raymond (11) returning a punt for a TD against the Tennessee Titans
Kalif Raymond - WR/PR - 1 year - 1.5 m - 1.5 m APY - 1.5 m guaranteed
While there is a bit of redundancy between him and Jimmy Jorn Jr, Kalif Raymond is an awesome depth piece to add for a cheap one year contract. A capable rotation WR who provides value as a return player, Raymond is going to compete for WR4 with Horn and a rookie. By being a capable veteran who helps give a good return body to a team that lacks return talent, Raymond brings a lot of value for a low price.
Video 30: WR Kalif Raymond (11) gets easy yardage on a screen
Video 31: WR Kalif Raymond (11) reads his blocks and rips off a punt return for a touchdown
Video 32: WR Kalif Raymond (11) wins the edge for a good gain on the punt return
Image 15: TE Kylen Granson (83) celebrating after a catch with the Philadelphia Eagles
Kylen Granson - TE - 2 years - 5 m - 2.5 m APY - 3.5 m guaranteed
While his production on offense is pretty poor, Kylen Granson brings an athletic Wing-TE body who was one of the best punt/kick coverage players in the NFL last season. Granson is too poor of a blocker and too small to handle in-line duties, but his athleticism does allow him to climb to the second level and run routes well. The main reason why we are signing Granson is to upgrade to Ja’Tavion Sanders as Granson provides more blocking, route running, and special teams ability while having fewer injury concerns. With us adding more TE talent and signing a FB, Mitchell Evans and Ja’Tavion Sanders are two early cut/trade candidates for the 2026 season.
Video 33: TE Kylen Granson (83) fakes outside and gets open on the dig
Video 34: TE Kylen Granson (83) showcases his speed when climbing to the second level and sealing off the DB on the outside zone run
Video 35: TE Kylen Granson (83) blows up the second returner and gets a special teams tackle
Video 36: TE Kylen Granson (83) runs through the blocker and gets a special teams tackle
Image 16: OT Larry Borom (79) as the starting RT for the Miami Dolphins
Larry Borom - OT/OG - 12 m - 6 m APY - 9 m guaranteed
With Ekwonu missing a good portion of next season, Carolina needs to pursue a potential short-term starting option at LT. After being a solid swing OT for Chicago and Miami, Larry Borom is an affordable swing OT who gives us an option at LT for the first half of the season. Borom has footspeed and length limitations that prevent him from being a great starting option, but heavy amounts of chip from Ricard and Tremble should let the OL function as we wait for Ekwonu to return from his injury. When Ekwonu gets back, Borom brings valuable two-position depth with an aging starting 5 who have gotten banged up recently.
Video 37: OT Larry Borom (79) vertical sets and drives the EDGE upfield with a good punch
Video 38: OT Larry Borom (79) gets chip help and beats the EDGE to the spot
Video 39: OT Larry Borom (79) seals off the C-Gap on the run play
Image 17: OG Jordan McFadden (74) playing OG for the Chicago Bears
Jordan McFadden - OG - 3 years - 16 m - 5.333333 m APY - 11.810000 m guaranteed
The signing is admittedly very questionable initially, but Jordan McFadden is a very underrated OG. While he primarily played special teams for Chicago, McFadden stepped into the starting lineup against the LA Rams and looked pretty incredible. With great positional strength, length, and quickness, McFadden looked like a quality starter despite being a depth player all season. By being a really high-end puller, McFadden brings athleticism at IOL that we currently lack in our starting three. If Borom is not able to be a playable OT for us, then we would kick Robert Hunt out to OT and play McFadden at OG. While some would argue this is a pretty hefty contract for the single game sample size, I matched the Nick Allegretti contract from two years ago, which was a multi-year contract for a depth OG. Even if McFadden primarily is depth for us in 2027, he would be a future starter as we would cut/trade one of Lewis or Hunt next year to free up cap for a Young + Ekwonu extension.
Video 40: OG Jordan McFadden (74) anchors down against Kobie Turner on a two-way go
Video 41: OG Jordan McFadden (74) executes a textbook pass off against the TT Stunt
Video 42: OG Jordan McFadden (74) anchors against the bullrush from Jared Verse
Video 43: OG Jordan McFadden (74) showcases his athleticism when pulling
Video 44: OG Jordan McFadden (74) mirrors to seal the non-play side of the screen pass
Image 18: OC Connor McGovern (66) identifying the MIKE for the Buffalo Bills
Connor McGovern - OC - 3 years - 45 m - 15 m APY - 30 m guaranteed
While we missed out on signing Cade Mays, Carolina has still gotten premier talent at OC with Connor McGovern. Another OG → OC convert, McGovern brings a similar size profile that made Cade Mays a key part of our scheme. While he is a positionally average run blocker, McGovern is a dominant one-on-one pass protector that can anchor down and mirror against the best on the IDL. With us likely playing a sub-starter level LT for a good portion of next season, McGovern’s one-on-one pass protection ability allows us to slide more OG help to protect Young’s blindside.
Video 45: OC Connor McGovern (66) gets a pancake on a combo block
Video 46: OC Connor McGovern (66) climbs into the second level and seals the LB
Video 47: OC Connor McGovern (66) pass protects one-on-one with the NT
Image 19: EDGE Mike Danna (51) running out of the tunnel for the Kansas City Chiefs
Mike Danna - EDGE - 2 years - 10 m - 5 m APY - 6 m guaranteed
With our EDGE rotation needing a potential replacement to Patrick Jones II pending on his play post-back injury, Mike Danna is an affordable EDGE3/4 option who can play a similar role to Jones. A solid contain player, edge setter, and stunt player, Danna is a solid role player who will free up our pass rushers and control the C-Gap. While he lacks the athletic tools to be a great one-on-one winner off the edge, Danna is a capable interior pass rusher on true passing downs. With Jones being a key matchup hunter for us when aligned on OGs and OCs who cannot match his quickness, Danna is a good alternative for this role if Jones is cut, injured, or resting.
Video 48: EDGE Mike Danna (51) sets the edge and helps clean up the tackle
Video 49: EDGE Mike Danna (51) sets the edge and disengages for the tackle
Video 50: EDGE Mike Danna (51) hits a cross chop on the OC and gets quick interior pressure
Video 51: EDGE Mike Danna (51) crashes on the stunt and splits the blocks for a QB hit
Image 20: LB Devin Bush (30) playing in the snow for the Cleveland Browns
Devin Bush - LB - 3 years - 39 m - 13 APY - 26 m guaranteed
A former notorious draft bust, Devin Bush has been extremely good for the Cleveland Browns this season and is a clear upgrade to our LB room. A super rangy and physical athlete, Bush brings a good coverage player and a blitzing threat that we have not had since Frankie Luvu. As a run defender, Bush is great at striking blocks and locking out to get tackles. As a processor, Bush may not have had green dot duties, but he has grown a lot in his ability to recognize run concepts and fit the run.
Video 52: LB Devin Bush (30) uses his elite fluidity and speed to get a sack as a blitzer
Video 53: LB Devin Bush (30) uses his elite range and pushes Lamar Jackson out of bounds
Video 54: LB Devin Bush (30) recognizes the run concept, strikes the block to force a jump cut, and spins out to get the tackle
Video 55: LB Devin Bush (30) strikes the block and disengages to get the tackle
Video 56: LB Devin Bush (30) strikes the lead blocker and blows up the run play
Video 57: LB Devin Bush (30) fits the run and meets the RB in the hole
Image 21: LB Patrick Queen (6) on the field for the Pittsburgh Steelers
Patrick Queen - LB - 2 years - 28 m - 14 APY - 19 m guaranteed
While this signing may get some flak, Patrick Queen has been a player I believe has been overhated by fans. Though I never thought he was an All-Pro level talent at LB, Queen has been a good starter due to his downhill speed and run processing. By having good closing burst and range, Queen can comfortably fit all gaps and chase down fast RBs to create splash plays/prevent explosive runs. In coverage, Queen does have some stiffness, but his range and burst lets him be an effective coverage player as the hook/curl/flat defender. Queen also brings another blitzing threat to our defense so we can further supplement our pass rush by sending 5+ pass rushers or disguise our rush looks by dropping an EDGE and sending Queen. By being a player with experience wearing the green dot, Queen brings a veteran presence to make calls and ensure proper alignment of our fronts.
Video 58: LB Patrick Queen (6) strikes the block and disengages for a tackle
Video 59: LB Patrick Queen (6) fits the run and meets the RB at the hole
Video 60: LB Patrick Queen (6) reads the cutback and gets a TFL
Video 61: LB Patrick Queen (6) penetrates the backfield and chases down the RB for a TFL
Video 62: LB Patrick Queen (6) fits the cutback lane and gets a TFL
Video 63: LB Patrick Queen (6) drives on the ball and almost gets a PBU
Video 64: LB Patrick Queen (6) covers the flat and has the range to not get beat upfield
Image 22: CB/NB Amik Robertson (21) locking up Justin Jefferson for the Detroit Lions
With the team needing a player to be the backup boundary CB and an upgrade at NB, Amik Robertson kills two birds with one stone. A feisty coverage player and run defender, Robertson is a great starting NB who is capable of playing on the outside despite his size. While this signing would relegate Smith-Wade to a depth role, Robertson playing on the outside in case of Jackson/Horn needing rest/getting hurt would have Smith-Wade rotate in the slot. With a starting three of Jackson, Horn, and Robertson, Carolina has built one of the best DB rooms in the NFL.
Video 65: CB/NB Amik Robertson (21) beats Ja'Marr Chase at the catch point for the interception
Video 66: CB/NB Amik Robertson (21) breaks up the pass at the catch point despite having a size mismatch against Harold Fannin Jr
Video 67: CB/NB Amik Robertson (21) fits the run against the outside zone run concept
Draft Day Trades
Carolina Panthers: 2.51 & 4.119
Atlanta Falcons: 2.45 & 7.235
Carolina Panthers: 4.102, 6.184, 2027 6th
Seattle Seahawks: 3.96
Carolina Panthers: 4.137 & 5.168
Los Angeles Chargers: 4.123 & 6.203
Image 22: OG/OT Tyler Steen with the Philadelphia Eagles
Carolina Panthers: 4.110 & 2027th 4th
Philadelphia Eagles: 4.137 & Tyler Steen & 2027 5th & 2027 7th
With us still having questions on what our starting five on the OL looks like before Ekwonu returns, Tyler Steen is a versatile player who brings talent to an extremely deep OL. Steen has been only an OG in the NFL, but he is a former college OT who has enough athleticism to have a reasonable shot of winning the starting LT job week one. In a situation where we go with Hunt at LT, Steen is a very safe floor bet on a starting LG in case the bullish signing of McFadden does not work. Even if he does not end up a starter for us, Steen would be our best depth OL piece who has proven to be a starting caliber player in the NFL. With our project 2027 spending being fairly meager, we could potentially earn a solid comp pick when Steen leaves for more opportunity in free agency.
Video 68: OG Tyler Steen (56) mirrors in space in pass protection
Video 69: OG Tyler Steen (56) reaches the NT to free up the run lane
Video 70: OG Tyler Steen (56) uses his athleticism to climb to the second level
Image 23: RB Johnathon Brooks during training camp
Carolina Panthers: Johnathon Brooks & 7.235
Denver Broncos: 5.168 & 7.246
Though there was a lot of hype around him entering last season, Brooks getting a second ACL tear really puts his NFL future into question. With many quality backs dropping during the draft, we decided to move off Brooks to get four cost-controlled years of another RB without the same injury baggage/availability concerns.
The Draft
Here are the picks we had in this draft class:
1.19
2.45
3.96
4.123
4.137
6.203
7.247
Image 23: 1.19 - Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq breaking a tackle in space
Our top player on our board, Kenyon Sadiq is going to revolutionize how we will be able to play offense. By having elite positional athleticism, solid blocking ability, and alignment versatility, Sadiq gives a lot of versatility that Carolina’s offense did not have beforehand. With the team primarily being forced to play out of 11 personnel last year due to lacking TE talent, Sadiq opens up the offense to have a lot more creative play calls and designs. Due to his athleticism and blocking combination, Sadiq is a hard player for defenses to match personnel with.
Due to this, Sadiq will be used less like a traditional TE and more like a hybrid power slot/wing TE player (look at the usage of players like Puka Nacua, Brock Bowers, and Harold Fannin Jr as examples). By rotating Sadiq, it makes it hard for defenses to guess our pre-snap look. If we have Tremble and Sadiq in the package, then we could flex between traditional 11 personnel looks with Sadiq in the slot or 12 personnel looks with Sadiq as the wing TE. If we just have Sadiq, then we can flex between traditional 11 personnel looks with Sadiq in-line or spread looks with Sadiq and 3 WRs spread out wide. By having numerous potential looks from the same package, we can hunt for blocking or speed advantages by putting Sadiq in motion.
Click here to read my scouting report + film analysis on Kenyon Sadiq
Image 24: 2.45 - Tennessee WR Chris Brazzell II making an acrobatic catch in the air
Needing another option at WR, Carolina adds length and speed with Chris Brazzell II. While he is a bit of a one-trick pony, Brazzell brings important field-stretching ability to a WR room whose primary starters are below-average speed athletes. Though he will be primarily a field-stretching player running deep concepts, Brazzell is capable of running a more complete NFL route tree due to his solid deceleration and fluidity for a taller player. With Brown being signed in FA, Brazzell is not forced to start if he is not ready, but I would be shocked if he did not see a large amount of snaps as a rookie. In terms of usage, Brazzell’s size and ability to get off the LOS would make him the perfect X-WR for our offense with McMillan and Coker rotating at Z/slot.
Brazzell is an exciting addition, as he allows for more creative usage for McMillan. While he was primarily used as the X as a rookie, McMillan can be unlocked as a player by having Brazzell on the line. With this, McMillan is going to get more looks with him as the slot/Z, which allows him to get more matchups on smaller NBs and get free releases from motion. Similar to how players like London got more productive when used beyond a traditional X-WR role, McMillan can become even more dangerous as a playmaker from the freedom and spacing created by Brazzell.
Click here to read my scouting report + film analysis on Chris Brazzell II
Image 25: 3.96 - Miami S Jakobe Thomas securing a difficult interception
With Carolina using Moehrig in the slot heavily in big nickel packages, Carolina needs to get a safety to compete with Ransom for the third safety spot and eventual full-time starter job once Woods is off the team. With our S room being filled with physical goons with good positional size, Jakobe Thomas is perfect for our type of S. The main reason why we wanted Thomas is that he would be the fastest S we have in our room (Simmons is in our LB room) and thus is the rangiest player in the room. Even though Ransom played a good amount of snaps for a day three S as a rookie and looked capable, Thomas’s athletic tools make him a better upside option to take the future reins as the primary split safety starter in two-S sets.
The main issues with Thomas are his inconsistent angles as a run defender and hip stiffness that limit his recovery ability in coverage. Thomas’ physicality and athletic gifts help mitigate some of these issues, but there is a chance Ransom with another year of experience is more ready than Thomas as a rookie. If this happens, then Thomas just slides in as one of our primary gunners on special teams with a chance to compete for the starting job next season.
Image 26: 4.123 - Texas A&M Albert Regis (17) starting down the OG
Though he was inevitably going to be off the team due to his cap hit, Robinson still played a valuable role as a pocket-pushing 3T/4i who was also good against doubles. Albert Regis was drafted due to his year-one ability to fill in this role in the rotation at a very low price. With good leverage, size, and strength, Regis is one of the best immediate two-gapping players in the class. While there are solid DTs in the draft class, the majority of the day three options are smaller penetrating types or players with run defense tools who lack technique to not get moved against doubles. While he lacks the athletic tools to become a real one-on-one pass rush option, Regis has good play strength, which makes him capable of pushing pockets and crashing on stunts. Regis has experience being an NT, but we likely would go toward Jackson as the back-up/successor to Brown III. Regis is unlikely to turn into a very high-snap player for Carolina, but his ability to be a cheap immediate rotation player due to his run defense ability makes him very valuable to an increasingly expensive team.
Image 27: 4.137 - Cal CB Brent Austin (4) tackling the ball carrier
While there are frame concerns with him, Brent Austin is a DB I have been high on since he was with USF. With great fluidity, speed, and explosiveness, Austin has every movement tool needed to be a potential starting-caliber CB in the NFL. With great ball skills and processing, Austin is great at using his short area burst to disrupt passes for PBU/interceptions. In terms of technique, Austin is really clean in his mirroring footwork and positioning with WRs. Austin’s biggest barrier to having a career in the NFL is his lack of good positional frame and tackling ability. Though this does limit his potential special teams impact and upside, Austin’s coverage fundamentals and athletic tools make him too talented of a coverage prospect to not have the upside to potentially develop into one of our starting CBs.
Image 28: 6.203 - Ole Miss OT Diego Pounds (61) in his pass set
While we attacked OL aggressively in FA and the trade market, Carolina should try to bring in another young OL piece due to most of their starters being 2/3rd contract players. With the positional size we value on the OL, Diego Pounds is a body type fit who projects as a solid future swing OT option for us. By having good positional length and size, Pounds has solid play strength for a young OT when punching in his pass set or anchoring down against power. Technically, Pounds has good refinement in his punch timing and placement for a college OT. Pounds biggest barrier from having starting potential is his mediocre lateral athletic tools and poor reactions to inside counters. While he is not going to consistently beat very fast EDGEs to the spot on vertical sets, Pounds will be capable enough as a strength and technical player to survive if good chip help and slides come his way.
Image 29: 7.247 UTSA RB Robert Henry Jr (3) breaking off a long run
The player with probably the smallest chance of making the active roster, Robert Henry Jr was mainly drafted to not fight for him in FA. While he is an old, small RB with minimal third-down ability, Henry’s long speed, fluidity, and vision make him a natural at ripping off big runs when he has good blocking. With Etienne being disappointing in his consistency as a return man this past season, Henry is mainly being brought in to be a potential upgrade to return man if Etienne continues to struggle. Even if he does not make the roster, Henry is someone we would love to have on the PS to be a game-time activation player due to the increased workload on returners (though he probably gets signed to an active roster if he is waived).
UDFAs
Image 30: Tennessee QB Joey Aguillar (6) throwing a pass
Image 31: Georgia WR Colbie Young (8) stiff arming a DB
Image 32: Vanderbilt EDGE Kordae Syndor (96) celebrating with a teammate
Image 33: Texas A&M DT Tyler Onyedim (96) celebrating with his teammates
Image 34: Louisville DT Rene Konga (90) on the field between snaps
Image 35: Houston DT Carlos Allen Jr (5) celebrating after a defensive stop
Image 36: LSU DT Bernard Gooden (88) taunting an opposing player
Image 37: Arizona CB Ayden Garnes (8) celebrating a teammate’s interception
Image 38: Iowa Kicker Drew Stevens (18) kicking a field goal in practice
Though we did not sign a lot of UDFAs, I am very excited about the players we acquired. On offense, Joey Aguilar and Colbie Young were both interesting tools dart throws on players to compete for spots on the active roster/practice squad. While Young likely does not make the active roster due to the WR room being crowded, Aguilar has a good shot to win the QB3 job, as he currently has the biggest arm and frame in the QB room.
On defense, Kordae Syndor is a good scheme fit as he is a long, big EDGE with experience rushing stand-up. With very similar tools to Patrick Jones II, Syndor could develop into a real rotation player if he develops better run defense fundamentals. Given the similarity with the rest of the room, I would not be shocked if Syndor beats out Ummanmielen due to having better size, length, and strength. For the DTs, we signed a lot of penetrating-style players to compete for PS spots, but the amount of talent of this group is pretty ridiculous. Tyler Onyediem is a player I believe has real draft potential once he tests at the combine, and the rest (Gooden, Allen, Konga) are all talented players who likely get hefty FA deals or late-round consideration. Though his chance of making the roster and getting drafted are slim, Ayden Garnes is a really fun player that has NFL athleticism. Even though he is extremely skinny and old, Garnes moves better than all the DBs in UDFA pool and has the biggest potential to develop into a rosterable NFL player if he can gain more size in the NFL.
While our kicking game was solid, Drew Stevens is a player I would easily take over Ryan Fitzgerald. With an insane leg, solid frame, and good mechanics, Stevens has a better chance of being the first kicker selected instead of being a UDFA. With our offense hopefully being more efficient to avoid short field goals, Stevens dramatically increasing our potential range is the biggest impact a UDFA could have for our team.
Cap Space Situation
Image 39: Our 2026 53-Man Special Teams Roster for Week One
While the negative number in 2027 looks scary, our rollover cap covers the amount we owe, and the amount of projected cap could be much higher than anticipated. In terms of moves to free up cap, there are a host of extension + restructure (ex. Young and Gary), restructure (Ex. Tershawn Wharton), and cut options (Ex. Bobby Brown III) that could be down to sign our 2027 rookie class and pay any free agents.
Post Draft Depth Charts
Image 40: The color key for the depth chart
Image 41: Our 2026 Post-Draft Offensive Depth Chart
Image 42: Our 2026 Post-Draft Defensive Depth Chart
Image 43: Our 2026 Post-Draft Special Teams Depth Chart
Conclusion & Projected 53 Man Roster
Overall, I am thrilled with our offseason. With more versatility on offense, great depth all around, and more LB/DL talent, Panthers have gotten significantly better from last year. The jury is still out on what Bryce Young can be in the NFL, but we are setting up this team with the best chance for success next season that we could have.
Image 44: Our 2026 53-Man Offensive Roster for Week One
Image 44: Our 2026 53-Man Defensive Roster for Week One
Image 45: Our 2026 53-Man Special Teams Roster for Week One
In terms of the projected 53-man roster, the only draft pick that likely does not make the team is Robert Henry Jr. As long as Etienne shows minor improvement as a returner and Henry does not look like an All-Pro returner in camp, Etienne’s age and size make a more desirable player to roster. In terms of the OL, I would likely first try out Hunt at OT due to the quality of the FA/trade market OG pick ups. If Hunt and/or McFadden struggle too much early on, then we would likely have Steen fill in at either position due to his positional versatility. On defense, there is a hole at the penetrating DT spot behind Wharton, but we would likely just use Jones and/or Danna at times on the inside due to both having experience being match up hunters that can condense down. On special teams, Stevens is a huge upgrade to K and we pray that we get more productive returns out of Etienne, Raymond, and Horn Jr. In terms of the coverage teams, we have a great collection of size and athleticism to have pretty nice range to prevent big runs against us. Overall, I think this is a roster that is capable of winning the division. If Young takes another step up as a player, then I think there is a shot this team could be a legitimate Super Bowl contender.
Date Published: 02/24/2026
Date Last Updated: 02/24/2026
If you enjoyed my writing or my content, then consider checking out my articles on Substack! Though I generally do not make mock offseason content (I will do another version of this next year for a different team), I do make scouting reports that feature film breakdowns for college draft prospects. If you would like to support my work, then consider sharing my content on social media and subscribing for free to my Substack. If you want a Substack report, grades, or scouting notes on players not published, then consider a paid subscription where subscribers can commission one detailed report per month on a declared/eligible draft prospect, get copies of my personal scouting notes on any prospect I have graded, and request scouting notes/grades on any players I have not watched.