Panthers on lower end of CBS' 2026 NFL Draft power rankings

The Carolina Panthers are coming up, emerging as a respectable team in 2025 after breaking a seven-year playoff drought. The next challenge for general manager Dan Morgan and head coach Dave Canales is building an actual contender, without a ton of assets to get the job done.

At the moment, the Panthers only have $2.2 million in cap space, leaving very little room to sign any remaining veteran free agents. To make matters more difficult, Carolina is on the lower end of the league when it comes to draft capital.

That's what landed them at the No. 23 spot in CBS Sports' new 2026 NFL Draft power rankings—where analyst Jordan Dajani stacks up every team based off their potential in this year's selection process. They do get points for their front office DNA and roster urgency, though.

Dajani writes:

It's easy to forget Carolina won the NFC South at 8-9 in a three-way tie despite losing its final two games. The Panthers snapped what was tied for the second-longest active playoff drought and want to stay in the mix. The goal now is proving Bryce Young is a franchise quarterback, which means continuing to build around him on both sides of the ball.

The list of the roster needs that the Panthers have to address next weekend includes wide receiver, tight end, center, defensive line, inside linebacker and most of all, safety. For now, signs point to Carolina targeting that last one—with Oregon's Dillon Thienemen as a favorite for their first-round pick.

After addressing the bleeding wound that is the safety spot opposite Tre'Von Moehrig, the quickest path to true contention will be loading up on weapons for fourth-year quarterback Bryce Young. That could include multiple wide receiver prospects as well as a relatively high pick at tight end.