The Carolina Panthers may not have a Lombardi Trophy just yet, but they're already collecting some hardware—of the offseason variety. Pro Football Focus has officially crowned them the "offseason champions" for 2026, handing out high marks for a busy and strategic few months.
PFF gave the Panthers an A- for their free agency moves and an A+ for their draft haul. It's a promising sign for a team looking to build on its NFC South title defense.
General manager Dan Morgan wasted no time making an impact. The front office landed two of the top free agents on the market: pass rusher Jaelan Phillips and Pro Bowl linebacker Devin Lloyd. Then they added the top left tackle available, Rasheed Walker, on a surprisingly team-friendly one-year, $4 million deal.
That focus on protecting the quarterback's blind side carried into the draft. With the 19th overall pick, Carolina selected Georgia's Monroe Freeling—widely considered the best true left tackle prospect in the class. PFF praised the pick, noting Freeling's dramatic improvement as a pass protector from a 65.3 grade in 2024 to an 86.1 in 2025. That gives the Panthers a strong option at left tackle, especially with Ikem Ekwonu recovering from a late-season injury.
The rest of the draft class was equally impressive. The Panthers added Texas Tech defensive lineman Lee Hunter in the second round, Tennessee wide receiver Chris Brazzell II in the third, Texas A&M cornerback Will Lee III in the fourth, Kansas State center Sam Hecht and Penn State safety Zakee Wheatley in the fifth, and Miami of Ohio linebacker Jackson Kuwatch in the seventh. PFF labeled every pick except Kuwatch as a "steal" based on their big board.
It's still early, but the Panthers are putting together pieces that could pay off big when the games start counting. For now, they'll take the offseason crown—and the momentum that comes with it.