Are these the Panthers' biggest needs heading into the 2026 NFL Draft?

The Carolina Panthers have been steadily improving since turning over the organization to general manager Dan Morgan and head coach Dave Canales. After winning just two games the season prior to the regime change, they went 5-12, then followed that up with an 8-9 campaign and the franchise's first division title since 2015.

Quarterback Bryce Young's growth has played a huge part in this upward trajectory, but the rest of the roster around him has also improved. The next step in their development is the 2026 NFL Draft, where the team has a legitimate chance to fill all of their remaining major roster needs.

But what exactly are those needs?

Here are Carolina's top three going into the draft, according to ESPN:

Safety

While you can make a strong case for another first-round pick on a wide receiver, the greatest hole on the roster right now is at the starting safety spot opposite Tre'Von Moehrig.

That's where Nick Scott struggled to tackle in open space, and had more than one very bad day in coverage. 2025 fourth-round pick Lathan Ransom didn't do any better, either.

The Panthers should be seriously considering using their second-round pick (No. 51 overall) on the best safety on their board—potentially turning their biggest defensive liability into a strength.

Wide receiver

If 2024 fist-round pick Xavier Legette was developing the way he should, this wouldn't be a need at all—especially with promising depth options like Jalen Coker and Jimmy Horn in the fold. However, it's more likely that Legette will wind up as a bust rather than a long-term starter.

That means wide receiver has to be a high priority once again. The Panthers don't necessarily have to use their first-round pick at this spot, but they need to address it no later than Round 3 (No. 83 overall).

Edge

This is where we disagree with ESPN's analysis. While the edge rotation needs more depth, Jaelen Phillips and an ascending Nic Scourton should be a decent starting pair at this position.

Meanwhile, the off-ball linebacker unit is an absolute mess (outside of free-agent signee Devin Lloyd) and Carolina has a weaker tight end room than any other team in the league. Those two positions should be a higher priority than edge, which can wait until Day 3.

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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: ESPN names Panthers' biggest needs heading into the 2026 NFL Draft