Not since 2016 had the Carolina Panthers entered the offseason as the reigning NFC South champions. But they have this year, and they're out to make sure that's the same case for the next.
The Panthers began the buildup to their title defense in free agency, where they signed two of the very top defenders on the open market. They also brought back 14 of their own free agents, keeping a solid foundation in place.
Carolina's early activity gave us a good idea of their intentions moving forward. Rather than waiting on their weaknesses to resolve themselves through patience and development, they attacked them—securing a promising pass rusher in Jaelan Phillips and a Pro Bowl linebacker in Devin Lloyd.
Their work continued this weekend, with the 2026 NFL Draft. General manager Dan Morgan and the front office walked away with seven picks, a haul that could help continue their ascent.
So, what did this year's selection process tell us about their direction?
Here are our four biggest takeaways from the Panthers' 2026 draft . . .
The only thing that seems certain about the future of left tackle Ikem Ekwonu in Carolina is the uncertainty around it.
Ekwonu, of course, ruptured his patellar tendon in the wild-card round loss to the Los Angeles Rams back in January. Since then, the team has not provided a timeline for his return from the injury—one that, in all fairness, can differ on a case-by-case basis.
But the Panthers have addressed the position over that time—signing the top free-agent left tackle Rasheed Walker to a one-year, $4 million agreement, then taking the draft's top true left tackle prospect in Monroe Freeling with the 19th overall pick.
Given those high-profile additions, it's probably safe to assume that Ekwonu won't be in the starting lineup to begin the regular season. That absence will be especially untimely since he's entering the fifth and final year of his rookie contract.
As for who will be on the blindside come Week 1, don't count out the new guy just yet. While Freeling could benefit from a little seasoning, as he's still a tad on the raw side, Walker's inexpensive deal from Carolina won't tie him to the job.
There might also be a world where the Panthers re-sign Ekwonu to pair him up with Freeling for 2027 and beyond. If that scenario exists, then that would likely spell the end of longtime right tackle Taylor Moton's tenure in Charlotte.
Along with Ekwonu, the Panthers may have to make a huge decision on quarterback Bryce Young after the season. The former No. 1 overall pick will be entering his fifth-year option in 2027—so the time to make a long-term commitment, if they so choose, is coming up.
What'll make that decision easier is if Young is equipped with a fair amount of talent, giving the organization a clearer evaluation of his capabilities. And as of now, 2024 first-round pick Xavier Legette doesn't feel like a fair lifeline for Young.
Legette has struggled to find his footing in the NFL, pretty much literally. On top of his issues with ball security, the 25-year-old has yet to get down basic spacial awareness—failing, at times, to keep his feet inbounds and to steer clear from false start penalties.
On Friday night, the Panthers took University of Tennessee wideout Chris Brazzell II with the 83rd overall pick. The speedy first-team All-SEC selection is an exciting prospect, and could threaten to take away Legette's standing behind starters Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker.
During the final stretch of the NFC South race last season, the Panthers gradually decreased Legette's usage. He went from a 73.7-percent snap share in Week 15, to 64.8 in Week 16, to 54.7 in Week 17 and then to 31.4 in Week 18.
What may work in Legette's advantage is that he and Brazzell are two different types of fast. The former is more of a give-and-go option, in the mold of a Deebo Samuel, while the latter is a Christian Watson-like field stretcher.
So there still may be role for Legette. He will, however, have to be wary of the footsteps of not only himself, but also of the new 6-foot-4 teammate who ran a 4.37-second 40-yard dash in Februrary.
Morgan, at his pre-draft presser two weeks ago, told reporters that he felt good about the current state of the tight end room. That sentiment contradicted the consensus on who the Panthers were targeting in this draft—with Oregon's Kenyon Sadiq and Georgia's Oscar Delp supposedly in the mix.