Panthers listed among biggest winners of 2026 NFL offseason

Then, during the 2026 NFL Draft, the Panthers further strengthened the offensive line by taking Monroe Freeling in the first round. Lee Hunter, taken in the second round, should help the defensive front, and Chris Brazzell is an underrated wide receiver who was added in the third.

As a result of these nice moves, Ethan Woodie of NFL Trade Rumors ranked the Panthers as the second-best offseason. Regarding that pick, Woodie offered the following:

Former Jaguars LB Devin Lloyd was my favorite free agent signing of the entire cycle, and his addition alone turns the biggest weakness on the roster into one of the team's strengths. Jaelan Phillips, while perhaps overpaid, does make for a big boost to the team's pass rush.

All in all, this was a fantastic offseason in Carolina, and now their ceiling will be determined by the play of QB Bryce Young in his fourth season.

As Woodie mentioned, the Panthers now have a very solid roster, so it will be up to Young to lead this team to new heights. The quarterback looked the best he's ever looked in the NFL last year, so he should only get better with an improved supporting cast.

At receiver, the Panthers have Tetairoa McMillan, Xavier Legette, Jalen Coker, and Brazzell. The offensive line will be hurt by Ikem Ekwonu's injury, but the signing of Walker and drafting of Freeling should keep the unit afloat.

At running back, it may hurt losing Rico Dowdle, but the team still has Chuba Hubbard and 2024 second-rounder Jonathon Brooks. As Woodie said, the biggest problems on defense were solved by the Lloyd and Phillips signings.

The NFC South always seems to be wide open, so there's no reason to think the Panthers can't compete for the division crown once again. On Thursday, we'll find out what the Panthers' full schedule looks like, and it will then be easier to predict how the season could go.

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