RSS Panthers Team Notes

[Carolina Panthers]

The Scratching Post: 1/12-1/16

Greetings, internet users. Welcome to The Scratching Post and the new year.

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Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/the-scratching-post/57786/the-scratching-post-1-12-1-16

 

[Carolina Panthers]

The Optimist: When achieving is over-achieving

How is it that the 8-9 2025 Carolina Panthers landed squarely in the middle of everybody’s preseason win predictions, skipped leaving anybody confident in their evaluation of the team’s future, yet also finished the season with a strong and wildly optimistic playoff loss against a legitimate Super Bowl contender in the Los Angeles Rams? Carowinds really has nothing on this squad.

We’re going to dig deep this offseason on Bryce Young’s development, Dave Canales’ tactical acumen, and Ejiro Evero’s personnel usage. We’ll also get into the weeds on cap management, draft strategy, and the state of the roster in advance of the 2026 season. But today is too early for all that.

The Panthers are a team who lived up to expectations in one important way this season. They were a team with many flaws and shaky depth. Destiny be damned, this wasn’t a team that was going to make a deep run in the playoffs. They also exceeded expectations this season in one important way: they were fun.

Say what you will about the quarterback position or in-game decision making of the team, they were fun more often than not. They were competitive. The 2025 Panthers lost six games by more than one touchdown and five of those were to playoff teams. That list necessarily does not include their three-point loss in the playoffs. Their other 12 games were either wins or very close losses. That is stellar work for a team that was supposed to be at least a year away from contending per their own rebuilding plans.

I would have been disappointed in this team if they had only won eight games behind a Young who played consistently the way he did against the Rams or down the stretch of the ’24 season. Instead, I am impressed by how Canales stepped up, despite his own flaws, and led this team to what successes they had. I am impressed that the 2025 draft class performed as well as they did. I am impressed that the offense managed what consistency they did despite the near-constant turmoil and injuries they experienced across the offensive line.

2025 wasn’t the best season of Carolina Panthers football, but I defy anybody to say it wasn’t the best season in at least the last eight years. Kids born after the last Panthers playoff game are hours old today, and not in elementary school. I’ll take that for now.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...the-optimist-when-achieving-is-over-achieving

 

[Carolina Panthers]

The Panthers enter the 2026 offseason with a decent amount of cap space

The Carolina Panthers fought valiantly in a playoff game they probably didn’t even deserve to host, but they came up just a bit short of pulling off an all time upset. With the loss, the season came to an end, and you know what that means. It’s the offseason, which for a lot of fans is where the real fun begins.

For a while, we had gotten accustomed to the Panthers starting the offseason near or even above the salary cap even with pending free agents and other roster openings needing to be filled. That was on full display last year, when a Panthers team coming off a 5-12 season somehow only had about $400,000 in unused cap space to roll over. Fortunately, it seems as though the combination of Dan Morgan and Brandt Tillis has done a better job of divvying up the cap space and leaving room to move around. As it stands right now, the Panthers have about $28.5 million in cap space (per Over The Cap), and they’ll be able to roll over another $24 million or so in unused space from the 2025 season. That gives them a little over $50 million to play with this offseason before doing any cleanup of the contracts currently on the books.

The Panthers can create even more space if they feel like they need to. They could restructure the contracts of Derrick Brown, Jaycee Horn, Taylor Moton, and others to add a few tens of millions of dollars more to their cache of funds. Add it all up, and the Panthers could have upwards of $75 million to spend on free agents this spring.

It’s not the most in the NFL by any means. Teams like the Chargers, Titans, and Raiders could potentially have over $100 million to spend. Still, it’s a huge improvement from what we’ve been used to for a lot of the last decade or so. The Panthers won’t need to pinch pennies or make any tough decisions about players to let go. Their options are wide open.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...6-offseason-with-a-decent-amount-of-cap-space

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Bryce Young’s fifth year option cap hit, timing, and why it is the right decision

Carolina Panthers general manager Dan Morgan confirmed the team’s long rumored plan to exercise Bryce Young’s fifth year option in a press conference this morning. Young, who has generated considerably mixed opinions from fans due to his low production and inconsistent play, will be under contract for the Carolina Panthers through the 2027 season.

When does this take effect?​

Filing the paperwork at this point is a formality. The fifth year option will not affect cap space for the 2026 season unless the team decides to build upon the option and sign Young to a long term extension. An extension seems unlikely based on Morgan’s language this morning. The team has until May 1st of this year to formally exercise the option.

What will the option cost?​

The fifth year option price tag is calculated according to a scale set forth in the 2020 Collective Bargaining Agreement between the NFL and the NFL Players Association. The tiers and their payment requirements are as follows, per overthecap.com:

• Basic: $22,936,000
• Playtime: $26,530,000
• One Pro Bowl: $39,723,000
• Multiple Pro Bowls: $46.073,000

Young qualifies for the playtime tier as he has played in both 50% or greater of all Panthers snaps over his past three seasons and 75% or greater of the same across two of his three seasons. As you can see, this could have been a much harder decision if Young had earned a Pro Bowl nod.

Is this the right call?​

Simply put, yes, exercising Young’s fifth year option is the right call. That’s probably true even if the Panthers aren’t hopeful that he will keep improving year over year. The $26M cap figure he will carry into the 2027 season would be good for the 15th highest cap hit for a quarterback in 2026 and the 18th (so far) for the 2027 season. That gets bumped down further by any number of potential events, such as anybody signing a long term extension, Bo Nix making a Pro Bowl, or Philip Rivers returning from retirement.

The fact of the matter is that the Panthers are not upgrading from Young for less money. Add on to that the fact that he is heading into year three under Canales, he just posted a career year in most statistics, and he just completed that career year behind an offensive line that was constantly in flux due to injury. From the team’s perspective, they are keeping a guy under contract at a reasonable rate who they are high on and have some reason to believe has not yet his his ceiling. That $26M cap figure is also not so much that they can’t keep Young and draft his replacement in 2027 in the event that the wheels fall spectacularly off his wagon.

Let’s take a look at the other directions they could have pursued with Young:

Declining the fifth year option​

The team could have chosen to decline Young’s fifth year option, citing a lack of significant progress between years two and three. That would make year four of his rookie deal a true contract year and given the team the room to publicly scout, pursue, and woo high level free agents, higher end draft picks, and otherwise really hold Young’s heels to the fire to get him to produce this season.

The reward here is that, if he doesn’t step up his game, they can walk away free and clear in 2027 and start fresh at the quarterback position. That is, to be clear, they would walk away into a low supply, high demand market that they have struggled with before.

The risk is that Young does step up, regain his Alabama form, and demand a real contract. The Multiple Pro Bowl tier of the fifth year option compensation list above is pegged to the franchise tag price. Young would cost double to hold in Carolina if they had to go that route, and probably more in a long term extension if he played well enough to have that kind of negotiating power in the first place.

Releasing Young​

An acrimonious split between Young and the Panthers based on the quality of Young’s play would be unlikely to be quiet or interesting enough to generate a competitive trade market for Young’s future services. If the team was as ready to move on from Young as some of the more vocal Panthers fans are then they would likely have to simply release him, either by cutting him this season or letting him walk at the end of his contract after next. That again, thrusts the Panthers into the quarterback market, and not at the front of the line.

Their 19th overall draft pick and recent reputation handling first overall pick quarterbacks would have rookies and veteran free agents alike looking twice at any offer from Carolina.

Extending Young​

Their other option for keeping Young in the fold for the long haul is to go ahead and sign him to a long term extension. The problem with that is that Young has underwhelmed, statistically and often actually, in his first three seasons. The Panthers know this and Young knows this.

The Panthers should not be willing to sign Young to a big $40M+ average annual value contract extension without evidence that he is worth it. Young, meanwhile, probably believes he is worth that level of contract and won’t want to settle for less without another chance, or two, to prove himself worthy.

This is an option in name only, because neither side should be willing to even discuss the numbers that the other side of the negotiating table would want to open with. That leaves them with exercising Young’s fifth year option as their only real route for the time being. Which, surprise, leaves Panthers fans in nearly the same position they were in last offseason: wondering if what they saw in the last game of the season represented a level of play that Young can put on the field consistently in the future.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...p-hit-timing-and-why-it-is-the-right-decision

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Panthers vs Rams game review: Cover 3 nightmares

While the Los Angeles Rams emerged from Saturday’s wild card classic as the victor, the Carolina Panthers gave them everything they could handle. Until they didn’t.

Despite playing solid defense for a majority of the second half to allow the Panthers offense an opportunity to take the lead multiple times, the moment eventually became too big. When it all came down to one final stop to send the 10.5 point underdogs through to the next round, MVP candidate Matthew Stafford diced the defense apart – walking the Rams offense down the field with no resistance.

For the final game review of the 2025 NFL season, let’s take a look back at the defensive decisions made throughout the contest to make sense of how the unit went from stifling to struggling so quickly.

(All of the following stats in this article come directly from SumerSports’ SumerLive tracking application )

Stafford’s hot start​

To make sense of the final drive, I first want to take you back to Stafford’s first 4 drives of the game. The Rams quarterback started the game on a tear, going 8 for 9 for 114 yards and a touchdown. Stafford’s only incompletion was his last of the sample, meaning he started the game a perfect 8 for 8.

A casual football fan would take in these statistics and tell you that whatever the Panthers defense were attempting to accomplish within their initial game plan was not working. This casual football fan would be correct.

The Panthers defense came out on these first 4 drives determined to play Cover 3. Of those first 9 passing attempts, 6 attempts came against the Panthers sitting in Cover 3. All of which were completed for 94 yards and a touchdown.

Coming into the match-up, Stafford led the NFL in passing yards versus Cover 3 and zone coverage overall. The Panthers opening gameplan seemingly played directly into Stafford and the Rams offense’s biggest strength and they paid for it by hastily falling into a 14-0 deficit.

Most passing yards by coverage during the 2025 season, per @NextGenStats:

vs Man Coverage – Dak Prescott (1,408)
vs Zone Coverage – Matthew Stafford (3,453)
—
vs 2-Man – Dak Prescott (270)
vs Cover 0 – Trevor Lawrence (293)
vs Cover 1 – Drake Maye (986)
vs Cover 2 – Jared Goff…

— NFL Researcher (@NFL_Researcher) January 5, 2026

Defensive adjustments​

After the Rams first 4 drives, the Panthers adjusted their approach to a significant degree of success. On the Ram’s next 7 drives they scored 10 points. The Rams saw a wide variety of coverages on 22 pass attempts during this 7 possession sample, including: Cover 0, Cover 1-Man, Cover 2, Cover 4, Cover 6 – and yes, Cover 3.

All 3 pass attempts that Rams had against Cover 3 during this period fell incomplete. One was a great Nic Scourton pass defensed on an attempted screen pass. The other two attempts were Stafford misses – including a possible touchdown to Davatae Adams shown below.

Matthew Stafford missed throw.

He had Davante Adams for a touchdown, missed him.

Trevor Etienne fumbled the punt after pic.twitter.com/dKEu4RxK4n

— SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) January 10, 2026

Horn’s injury​

Next came the middle of the 4th quarter and the Rams started their 12th possession of the game leading 27-24. The Panthers desperately needed a stop. They got it, but it came at a heavy cost. This Ram’s possession only lasted five plays, the last of which would be the blocked punt to give the Panthers the ball at the Rams 30 yard line.

Unfortunately, the second play of the Rams drive may have been the one that won them the game. 2nd and 6, the Rams completed a 16 yard pass and Jaycee Horn remained on the ground after taking a hit from his own teammate. Horn entered the concussion protocol and would not see the field again the rest of the game. Care to guess what coverage the Panthers were in on this play? That’s right, Cover 3.

Thankfully, the Rams were penalized the next play which allowed the Panthers to force the aforementioned blocked punt leading to the Panthers final touchdown. The Rams had one more drive in the game. One last possession for all the marbles.

This is Cover 3, and it’s worth noting that the Panthers were among the leaders in C3 utilization in 2025.

Obviously, the absence of any pass rush in this series is not part of the game plan.

Carolina has struggled in that department, but this was a particularly bad series,… https://t.co/4rF5wS03uF

— John Ellis (@1PantherPlace) January 11, 2026

Stafford would go 6 for 7 for 71 and a touchdown, including 5 completions on 5 attempts for 60 yards against Cover 3.

Conclusion​

Overall, the Rams had a 10.36 expected points average (EPA) versus Cover 3. The next best EPA vs concept they had was 0.28 against Cover 4.

The opening game plan created by the Panthers defensive coaching staff clearly did not accomplish what they had hoped. Given the strength of the Rams offense versus Cover 3, this is not shocking. Credit for pivoting away from it until Horn’s injury.

Horn’s concussion was clearly the turning point in the final moments as the coaching staff felt compelled to return to their “bread and butter” Cover 3 zone coverage. In fairness, there were other opportunities missed on this drive that weren’t the total fault of the defensive play call.

Pass rushers failed to win any 1 on 1 attempts. A’Shawn Robinson tipped a ball that still was caught. The game winning touchdown on Tre’Von Moehrig was perfect coverage… unfortunately Colby Parkinson’s 6’7 frame and Stafford elite accuracy will beat perfect coverage every time – despite only having a 27% chance of being completed.

Matthew Stafford's game-winning 19-yard TD to Colby Parkinson had a completion probability of 27.3%, the 2nd-most improbable completion of the game, behind only Bryce Young's go-ahead TD to Jalen Coker (19.7%) two minutes earlier.#LARvsCAR | #RamsHousepic.twitter.com/FkaOPmpT13

— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) January 11, 2026

Oh, what could have been.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...nthers-vs-rams-game-review-cover-3-nightmares

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Carolina Panthers 2026 NFL Draft Prospect Profile: Drew Allar

Now that the Panthers have officially entered their offseason, we look ahead toward the 2026 NFL Draft. This weekly series will take a closer look at some of the prospects the Carolina Panthers could select in the 2026 iteration of the Draft. In this series, we’ll only be looking at prospects the Panthers could seriously consider. This week our profile will focus on Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Drew Allar.

Bio​

Allar entered Penn State as a prototypical modern day passer. He has the size and arm talent that teams covet, and he showed that his first year as a starter his true sophomore season. Allar started his career with 311 pass attempts without an interception. He continued to improve through the 2024 season as well, finishing with 3,327 passing yards and 24 touchdowns to just eight interceptions. Unfortunately for Allar, his start to the 2025 was not up to his normal standards, leading to some questions about his future prospects. An ankle injury ended his season after just seven weeks, leading to surgery and a long recovery period, further impacting his draft stock. This former sure-fire first round pick will now be battling to get taken on Day 2 of the Draft.

Strengths/Weaknesses​

Allar’s 6’5”, 235 lbs frame is exactly what NFL evaluators want in a signal caller. He has a quick release and is still able to put a ton of velocity on his throws to all levels of the field. While his ball security isn’t quite on the same level as his record-breaking sophomore season, he still takes care of the football rather well while still attacking downfield. He has shown the ability to work through progressions and has a feel for coverages and windows. Allar also has the athleticism to extend plays, even showing a willingness to take shots while delivering throws under pressure.

Under pressure, though, he also tends to lose his mechanics a bit. As with most quarterbacks, inconsistent mechanics means inconsistent accuracy, especially in the intermediate range. He also needs to trust his gut a little more and throw with more anticipation. Sometimes Allar waits until a player flashes open to throw the ball, which will lead to those windows slamming shut at the next level.

Projection​

Allar’s fall from no doubt top five pick to potentially a Day 3 selection has been precipitous. Still, I’m sure league execs are salivating over the potential. If he can show up at his pro day and pass all the physicals, maybe move around a bit, make a couple throws, he could greatly improve his draft stock in a draft that is weak at the top for the quarterback position. Whether it be Day 2 or Day 3, Allar is likely a developmental prospect at this point while the team that drafts him works on his mechanics and getting him back to 100% healthy.

After a great overall showing from Bryce Young in the playoffs, the Panthers will absolutely start him in the 2026 season barring injury. Allar would provide the Panthers with an intriguing potential backup for Young while also giving Bryce some competition down the road if needed. Even the Bryce Young stans would have to admit that Drew Allar living up to that five star potential would be hard to pass up as a starter in this league.

What do you think, Panthers fans? If Drew Allar is available when the Panthers select in the 2026 NFL Draft, should they take him? Sound off in the comments!

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...rs-2026-nfl-draft-prospect-profile-drew-allar

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Panthers Reacts Survey: Offseason priorities

The Carolina Panthers have been eliminated from the playoffs. Besides rooting against the New England Patriots and the Denver Broncos, there is not much for Panthers fans to pay attention to between now and next season. Besides from little things like the 2026 NFL Draft and Free Agency, I suppose.

With more holes once again than cap dollars and draft picks to spend, the Panthers will need to be strategic in which available players they target to build their roster for next season. That brings us to our first Reacts survey of the offseason.

This week we’re asking what position group should be the Panthers top priority this offseason when looking for upgrades. And before you ask, I intentionally left safety/defensive back off the list because they are relatively set at cornerback and have shown little interest in prioritizing safety in the past. I expect most FA dollars and higher draft picks to be spent across the positions listed below.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Panthers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...4/panthers-reacts-survey-offseason-priorities

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Carolina Panthers Upcoming Free Agents

The Carolina Panthers shocked many around the NFL in making their first playoff appearance since 2017 this season. Despite a great showing at home in front of legends like Cam Newton, Luke Kuechly, Steve Smith, and Jake Delhomme, the Panthers ultimately lost and their season has ended. After taking some time to reflect on this amazing season, we can now turn our attention toward the offseason, where Dan Morgan and Brandt Tillis begin the bulk of their work. One piece they’ll have to look at in the coming weeks and months is players on the Panthers roster whose contracts are expiring. Let’s take a look at some notable players below.

Offense​

Major unrestricted free agents on offense are mostly along the offensive line, a unit that did quite well this year considering the litany of injuries and starting lineups. Austin Corbett started several games for the Panthers at guard and center and is a good depth piece depending on the price. He has not shown the success to earn starter money in my opinion, but is a nice fallback option in case of injury. Yosh Nijman became a much bigger priority for the Panthers after Ikem Ekwonu suffered that ruptured patellar tendon against the Rams. Nijman stepped in admirably when called upon, so should definitely be back in black and blue if possible. Starting center Cade Mays and utility knife lineman Brady Christensen (coming off a major injury himself) are both unrestricted free agents as well. Both should be brought back if the price is right. Mays was a more than serviceable starting center, and Christensen can play all five spots on the line. Christensen might want to go somewhere he can start, but his free agency may be similar to last offseason where the market is cooler on him than originally thought. Rico Dowdle is also a free agent and made very clear in a post game interview that he’d like to go somewhere he would be the featured back. With the return of Jonathon Brooks and solid showing by Trevor Etienne, I expect Dowdle to be elsewhere next season.

Offensively, the Panthers also have two high priority exclusive rights free agents in wide receivers Jalen Coker and Brycen Tremayne. Coker is clearly the team’s number two wide receiver, and Tremayne is a willing and able blocker and competent pass catcher out of heavy formations. The good news is, both are exclusive rights free agents, which means they have to accept a one-year league minimum contract if offered by the team. The only other option is to sit out the whole year. I would like to see the front office try to get Coker signed long term, but having that exclusive tag as a backup option is nice.

Defense​

The Panthers defense was bereft of talent overall, and they still have several starters and impact players on expiring contracts. Starting linebacker Christian Rozeboom and starting safety Nick Scott are both free agents. Rozeboom was an integral part of a weak linebacking corps and will likely be back next year. Scott may or may not; he is beloved in the locker room and much maligned by fans. Another unrestricted free agent I want the Panthers to bring back is safety Isaiah Simmons. Simmons showed a ton of flash in a short time in Carolina, including several excellent plays on kickoff coverage and a blocked punt against the Rams. Another linebacker who showed some promise was Claudin Cherelus, who is a restricted free agent. After the injury to Trevin Wallace, Cherelus did an fantastic job filling in for the remainder of the season.

Special Teams​

The special teams unit will stay mostly in tact (aside from the aforementioned players that play on special teams as well like Tremayne and Cherelus). Unfortunately for the Panthers, two of the three specialists are free agents: long snapper JJ Jansen and punter Sam Martin. Jansen is a Panther for life and will continue to get contracts as long as he wants to play. As of this moment, I have not heard any rumblings about retirement, so I expect him back next season. Martin was an absolute weapon for the Panthers in the punt game, so they should absolutely do everything they can to bring him back as well. That group of Jansen, Martin, and kicker Ryan Fitzgerald work really well together, so keeping the consistency will be important.

What do you think, Panthers fans? Which player should Dan Morgan call first to get resigned to the team? Sound off in the comments!

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca.../57781/carolina-panthers-upcoming-free-agents

 

[Carolina Panthers]

CSR Weekend Warriors: 1/16-1/18

Greetings, Panthers fans. Welcome to the weekend.

Feel free to use this thread to chat about (almost) anything you want: video games, food, movies, non-football sports, you name it. As long as it’s allowed by the site’s ToS, it’s fair game here.

You know the drill.

This is now an open thread

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/the-scratching-post/57828/csr-weekend-warriors-1-16-1-18

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Brian Answers: Players to re-sign, the future at quarterback, and more!

Hello CSR! Welcome to Brian Answers, part two of your weekly Panthers fan mailbag for everyone! We got a ton of questions as we dive right into the off-season, and they touched on all sorts of subjects. Let’s jump right in!

Bruce Guild: Brian who would yopu put as you biggest player performance surprises on offense and defense (1 each) of the 2025 and what does it mean for the roster and for the upcoming offseason.

Who were you biggest surprises to the downside on each side of the ball and impact on the offseason.

For the offense, I’d say I was most surprised by Rico Dowdle’s 1,000 yard season, honestly. Chuba Hubbard went into the season entrenched as the number one guy, but that streak middle of the season had Rico Dowdle performing up there with the top backs in the league. I think he started to slow down due to the heavy usage from that, and eventually Chuba returned somewhat to form and Carolina was once again splitting the carries. I expect the Panthers won’t have any chance of bringing Rico back, not just because of the inconsistent usage towards the end of the season. On the downside, probably Ja’Tavion Sanders. He showed a lot of promise last season, and this year was cut short by injury. But he was pretty consistently outshined by Tommy Tremble and Mitchell Evans as receivers as well.

For the defense, biggest surprise for me was Chau Smith-Wade. He played quite well and seems entrenched as the Panthers “regular” nickel cornerback. They’ll still be filtering in big safeties and other player types, but Smith-Wade turned out to be more than the typical training camp smoke. I give a close second to CB Corey Thornton, who also had his season cut short by an unfortunate injury. On the downside, I’d say its between Bobby Brown III and Turk Wharton on the defensive line. Brown didn’t seem to get as much usage as many probably expected, as A’Shawn Robinson was mostly the biggest benefactor of having Derrick Brown back along the defensive line. Turk Wharton was very good when he was out there, but he just couldn’t stay healthy. For a big money defensive line signing, that was disappointing. Hopefully he bounces back next season in that regard.

Gamble20: I know the Panthers “like” Cade Mays. And we know they likely need a backup plan for Icky due to the injury. However, Dave reiterated how essential the offensive line is to their success and pointed out what the Bears spent as evidence. We all believe defense will be top priority, but is there any chance the Panthers might actually try to find an upgrade at center and go after the top free agent (Linderbaum?).

There’s always a chance, though with the many other needs on this defense, they likely could re-sign Mays and Brady Christensen on the cheaper side, and not have to worry about center. I could see them drafting one though, since this front office seems to draft from a value perspective a lot of the time.

Brazilian Panther: Apart from Coker that is a must re-sign, give me two others players that were on the roster this season that you think they should try to re-sign too. While at it, also give us two must free agents that you would like to see DC and DM go after it. Cheers

I think Yosh Nijman is an obvious one with the uncertainty surrounding Ikem Ekwonu’s injury following the playoff game. I think bringing him back allows the Panthers some flexibility, rather than signing a higher priced veteran starter or having to draft a tackle high. Even if they do choose to draft one, they won’t have to play right away having Nijman on the roster and familiar with the offense. For my second one, its obviously Nick Scott, 17 game starter at safety and likely highly affordable depth. Since I can already hear the boos from the comments, my third choice is punter Sam Martin. I see no reason to let him walk after the season he had.

PantherBlueBlood: So with Tillis visiting Atlanta and not signing on does that mean he is here to stay? Who would you say is the main talent evaluator, Willis, DM or is there someone else?

I wouldn’t call Brandt Tillis safe yet, but I do think David Tepper will be more than willing to give him a pay raise to get him to stay, possibly more. Guess we will just have to wait and see. I think Morgan is the main evaluator from a football perspective, but its pretty clearly a team effort in regards to basically everything the front office does between Dan Morgan and Tillis.

SnarkyComet: Is it a certainty that we move on from Dalton this offseason?

Based on Dan Morgan’s comments during his press conference this week, it seems a younger quarterback is on the agenda for this off-season. According to Spotrac, Dalton’s contract in 2026 is virtually all on the books, around almost $6 million. If the Panthers release him or he retires, they’ll still be on the hook from a cap perspective. That said, I wouldn’t rule either of those situations out, though it might make sense for him to stick around as a 3rd QB.

DBelt: How much money will the Panthers pay Bryce Young and how quickly will it turn into a Tua Tagovailoa situation?

I’d say a 10 year contract like what Pat Mahomes got is right about where I’d price him.

KeepPounding88: Am I crazy for thinking we’re due for regression next year? We still have an inconsistent QB, backdoored our way into the playoffs, lost our franchise LT to injury, have glaring holes on defense, and will in theory be playing a tougher schedule.

I don’t find that to be crazy at all. Number one, though the Panthers DID suffer a bunch of injuries on the offensive line, most of the injuries they had to endure across the roster weren’t detrimental. Most of their big name players stayed healthy or had a viable backup who could step in. So that aspect is always a possibility. On top of that, I would expect Tetairoa McMillan to have a rougher go of it now that NFL teams will have a full season of game tape on him as an NFL player and how the Panthers used him in their offense. Its really going to depend on what steps forward the rest of the roster takes, and if the Panthers can manage to draft another class of rookies that can make an instant impact like the 2025 class.

TLGPanthersfan: Feels like another season we may have to target an OL possibly in the first round. Do you want that? If not what position would you prefer? Me, LB but teams realizing they can attack the middle of the field really showed our lack of LB talent.

I think adding to the offensive line isn’t the worst decision. Between Ekwonu’s injury, Taylor Moton at the end of his career, and no certainty that Yosh Nijman is coming back, drafting a tackle this year in the first could be a shrewd move. Personally, I’d prefer they go defense, whether it be linebacker, safety, or even defensive line/edge. All of those would be valuable for this defense in my opinion. My preference would be a linebacker or another EDGE.

Coach_K: With Dowdle sounding like he’s on the way out, is there still hope that J Brooks will fill in on as a one-two punch with Chubba?

I think the Panthers will give Jonathon Brooks every chance to try and make his comeback next season. I think based on Dan Morgan and Dave Canales cutting their teeth in Seattle, they’ll draft a running back with a late round pick anyway, regardless of what they think of Brooks. But it is an uphill battle for him for sure.

Temujin07: Last two years Panthers have not really played complimentary football where we have won by more than one score other than once this season (week 3 vs ATL) leading to all of our other wins to be 4th quarter comes backs. Do you think this is a scheme issue (offense and/or defense) or personnel issue?

Its definitely a personnel issue to me. Obviously, no matter how you feel about Bryce Young, he was inconsistent all season, meaning the offense as a result was inconsistent. Combine that with a lot of young players taking on big roles in the passing game, and an offensive line that was basically in flux the entire season, and none of that bodes well for consistency. Dave Canales also didn’t seem to have a consistent game plan for this offense either. On defense, the pass rush and lack of talent at linebacker always seemed to do them in against above average offenses. All of these issues can be fixed by simply upgrading the personnel, aside from Bryce Young. He needs to find a way to be more consistent, but getting more help around him certainly would make that easier for him. But the consistency issues still lie at his feet to take care of.

Truthshallsetyoufree: Reports of Evero was extended only came out during a presser when Canales was asked about, why hasn’t there been anything put out officially by the organization?

Joe Person and Mike Kaye were both saying in the previous weeks on X/Twitter that Evero was under contract following this season, and it seems that coordinators being extended just isn’t something the national media really jumps on compared to a firing or a promotion. Based on all I’ve seen, it sounds like this wasn’t done recently either. I know many fans do not like Ejiro Evero, but his body of work this season was very good from a totality standpoint, and Dave Canales clearly is high on him, so I’m not surprised it wasn’t considered news they needed to shout out all over the internet.

DeeJ_93: Good Morning Brian! Super proud of how our team looked Saturday when nobody gave us a chance. If you could have a offseason wish list- what would it be? Let’s say a Top 5 of any specific FA signings or draftees you hope might fall to us?

Its a little early for me to pick specific names, just because the lists of free agents are going to be radically different in a couple of months when free agency actually starts. But I will give you a positional wish list.

1. Biggest priority for me is a linebacker. Christian Rozeboom had his moments, but he should not be an every game starter for this defense. I think he’d have fit better as the 3rd linebacker in the rotation where he could come in on more specialized downs. I’d like to see a high draft pick or a hefty free agent contract.
2. Depth tackle is my number two, just because of previously mentioned concerns at tackle.
3. In the draft, I’d like to see them bring in a safety. Preferably one who is more of a compliment to Lathan Ransom and Tre’Von Moehrig.
4. A backup quarterback, whether it be a younger guy in free agency or a mid round draft pick.
5. A shifty wide receiver. Jalen Coker is a fine fit as the slot guy, but he also excels on the outside. Tetairoa McMillan also could use more time in the slot. But I think a specialist for moving the chains would be good. And that guy could very well be Jimmy Horn Jr with another Offseason of reps and coaching.

JakeNCVA: What is the expectation now for next season? If this season was “over achieving” , would the same record and a back into the playoffs and first round loss be considered as just achieving ? Different fans have different expectations. Will be content with moral wins but L’s on the scoreboard? I guess I’m asking if we have turned a corner where our expectations are winning rather than cherry picking stats to feel good about?

I think the players and coaches have made it pretty clear they want to go to the playoffs again next season. I don’t think the Panthers will go for broke and sign a bunch of players and sell out for a Super Bowl, but another Offseason of building the roster and drafting for value should keep them in the conversation as a team nobody should be surprised at making the wild card round. While the Panthers certainly got very lucky to make the playoffs, they played enough games that were meaningful this season that I think we should be expecting them to improve on 8 wins and once again compete for a division crown.

DecFan: Is there any chance that Evero and the position coaches can correct Isaiah Simmons’ flaws and use him to help fill the needs at safety and linebacker? He certainly contributed on special teams this weekend.

There’s certainly a chance. I think he could be the back up for Tre’Von Moehrig’s role as a pseudo linebacker on many downs. And he shouldn’t be overly expensive. Helping out on special teams would also make him valuable.

Panthers75: Does our notoriously impatient owner stick with the plan or does he get aggressive and try to win now? Either way I personally won’t be shocked if the record next year is similar to this year’s. The first place schedule coupled along with not being underestimated should make a massive improvement next season more difficult to achieve.

I’m not at all concerned about David Tepper. I see no reason to think he would interfere or inject himself into the football decisions after the way the last two offseasons were handled. He appears to have his guys now in the coaching staff and front office.

Waldropa: We revamped the offensive line (although we had a ton of different lineups due to injuries) and hopefully drafted our #1 receiver. In your opinion, what would be more beneficial to the team as a whole and make us a playoff contender? Pouring all of our offseason assets into a top defense than can hold leads if and when we have them, or looking into a change at QB? I know we just picked up his 5th year option, but a lot of people on here are extremely low on Bryce, so I’m curious if that’s a legitimate feeling or if he’s good enough on his side of the ball if we had a defense that could step up to the plate if needed.

I know many want the Panthers to make a change at quarterback. I just don’t expect them to move on from him entirely. I think they’ll bring in strong competition, but not any kind of big names. I think based on the situation they are in with the draft, the best thing they can do is keep building the team as a whole. If the wheels fall off, they might look to make a change next Offseason with a stronger roster.

Chef: Hey Bri! Just curious who’s gonna be the new “Ya Boi” when we replace Nick Scott in the off-season ? Is it a current unsung player or another low-end FA signing? Who ya got your on?

I don’t think I’ll have to find a new one since the Panthers will probably re-sign him. But if not, I’m sure Evero will dip into his Rams/Broncos bag of defensive backs across the league and find a shiny new one.

Revshawn: Also, is there any QB’s in the NFL that you currently have your eye on in the 3rd round or later? Do you think that the Panthers will run it back with the Red Rifle or will they bring in some guys that they can develop into starting roles after the Jack Plummer ordeal blew up in their face.

As much as I don’t like it having watched a bit of him living in the PSU area, QB Drew Allar would make a lot of sense. He has a totally different skillset from Bryce and would be suited to ride the bench and learn while the Panthers continue to figure out if Bryce is the long term answer or not.

GooseCreek: It’s early evening on April 23rd and the Panthers are just going on the clock. QBs Mendoza and Moore gone, LBs Reese and Styles gone, Edges Bain, Faulk and Bailey gone, WR Tyson gone, OTs Spano, Lomu and Mauigoa gone, S Downs gone, CBs, Devane and McCoy gone, DTs Woods and McDonald gone, TE Sadiq gone, RB Love is gone…your highest rated prospects on your board are Makai Lemon (WR), Ty Simpson (QB), and Olaivavega Ioane (G). You also have a trade offer from the LA Rams for their #29 pick plus their 2027 2nd rounder.

What do you do? Spend another #1 on a WR or QB, get that G you planned on addressing later, or accept the trade with several players on the board that you value and expect to be there at #29.

In this hypothetical scenario, I’d probably go with the guard. Lewis and Hunt are only getting more expensive, so at some point one of them will have to go. Trading down is certainly a viable alternative that I would not hate at all.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...to-re-sign-the-future-at-quarterback-and-more

 

[Carolina Panthers]

2025 Playoffs: Divisional Saturday open thread

The Carolina Panthers may be out of the running, but that doesn’t mean the race is over. The Buffalo Bills are taking on the Denver Broncos at 4:30 ET/2:30 MT in Denver this afternoon and the San Francisco 49ers are visiting the Seattle Seahawks at 8:00 PM ET/5:00 PM PT this evening.

The remaining results of these playoffs have no real implications on the Panthers 2026 draft position or schedule, so there’s not much in the way of obvious rooting interests this week. Depending on your feelings regarding Super Bowl L and/or Sean McDermott in Buffalo, there are some easy story lines to get behind in Denver today. The NFC West championship redux, on the other hand, really only has Christian McCaffrey as a tie-in for Carolina fans.

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Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...2025-playoffs-divisional-saturday-open-thread

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Panthers retaining, promoting assistant quarterbacks coach Mike Bercovici

The Carolina Panthers are retaining assistant quarterbacks coach Mike Bercovici, who had interviewed with a couple teams for a job as quarterbacks coach. They are promoting him to passing game coordinator to get him to stay.

Sources: The #Panthers are promoting assistant QBs coach Mike Bercovici to pass-game coordinator.

Bercovici recently interviewed for the #Commanders QBs coach job but will now stay in Carolina in an elevated role, as the Panthers maintain offensive continuity coming off an NFC… pic.twitter.com/huQ4frMDtN

— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) January 15, 2026

Who?​

Bercovici is not a long-time Dave Canales assistant. He entered the ranks of NFL coaches in 2020 as an assistant to Kliff Kingsbury, then the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals. He earned a promotion to offensive assistant in 2022 and then was hired by Frank Reich to be the assistant quarterbacks coach under Josh McCown on the famous 2023 All-Star coaching staff.

When that experiment ended in disaster, Bercovici was the sole offensive assistant retained when Canales was hired. That also makes him the only offensive coach who has been in Bryce Young’s ear for his entire professional career.

Does this matter?​

It’s hard to say.

Bercovici having a more significant role could be the answer to several questions that plagued the 2025 Panthers. He brings experience from other head coaching trees that he can use to challenge some of Canales’more self destructive tendencies. He also provides a level of continuity and consistency for Young.

Both of those things could be huge boons with the Panthers theoretically poised to take a big step after a brief playoff run in 2025. They could also just be signs that business is humming along as usual. It is important that Bercovici is viewed around the league as a potential future offensive coordinator and is the only Panthers assistant so far, besides defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, to receive outside interest this offseason. Retaining talent is a good thing, and it’s a great thing when it doesn’t cost any draft picks or dollars against the salary cap.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...g-assistant-quarterbacks-coach-mike-bercovici

 

[Carolina Panthers]

2025 Playoffs: Divisional Sunday open thread

The Carolina Panthers may be out of the running, but that doesn’t mean the race is over. The Houston Texans are visiting the New England Patriots at 3:00 PM ET this afternoon and the Los Angeles Rams are on the road again against the Chicago Bears at 6:30 PM ET tonight.

The Texans/Pats game is one of those where I wish it could end in a tie. On the one hand, I’ll never root for the New England Patriots. On the other hand, I don’t want to spend another offseason hearing about how the Panthers should have taken C.J. Stroud, regardless of his performance. Bah humbug.

The Rams against the Bears has an easier angle for me to root for this weekend. Go Los Angeles. Simply put, I want the team that the Panthers took down to the wire in the wild-card round to go on and win the Super Bowl. That, more than anything, will help cement my optimism for the 2026 offseason.

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Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...4/2025-playoffs-divisional-sunday-open-thread

 

[Carolina Panthers]

The Scratching Post: 1/19-1/23

Greetings, internet users. Welcome to The Scratching Post and the new year.

Feel free to use this thread to chat about (almost) anything you want: video games, food, movies, non-football sports, you name it. As long as it’s allowed by the site’s ToS, it’s fair game here.

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Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/the-scratching-post/57830/the-scratching-post-1-19-1-23

 

[JJ]

OH MAN LET'S GO BILLS!! That divisional game against Denver is gonna be HUGE. Josh Allen is about to absolutely demolish that Broncos defense, mark my words. The man is playing out of his mind this postseason and there's nobody in the league who can stop him when he's locked in like this.

But hey, gotta give credit where it's due - Panthers had a solid run this year. Making the playoffs after all that chaos the last couple seasons? That's progress. Bryce Young still makes me nervous with the inconsistency stuff, but McMillan looks like the real deal and that defense showed some flashes.

That Bercovici promotion is interesting. Keeping offensive continuity is smart when you've got a young QB trying to figure things out. Though if I'm being honest, I think Carolina's ceiling next year depends entirely on whether they can fix that linebacker situation and get some pass rush help. Rozeboom ain't it as a starter, and that's not even a hot take.

Also LOL at the writer saying they don't wanna hear about how the Panthers should've taken Stroud. I get it, but c'mon, that's gonna follow them around for Bryce's entire career whether they like it or not. Just gotta hope the kid proves everyone wrong.

Now if you'll excuse me, I gotta go prepare for the Bills game. BILLS MAFIA BABY!!

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Rising Stars: Nic Scourton

With their season over, the offseason is officially underway for the Carolina Panthers front office. Soon, behind closed doors in Bank of America Stadium, they will break out microscope to analyze every single detail of the roster before building a plan for the offseason before the quickly approaching Free Agency period arrives.

In a new series that’s going to continue over the next few weeks, we’ll take a similar approach to roster evaluation to identify the rising stars on the roster who look to factor heavily into the Panthers plans in 2026 and beyond. With that in mind, there’s no better place to start than with the youngest player on the Panthers roster: outside linebacker Nic Scourton.

Selected in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, Scourton was set to be a key rotational player behind free agent acquisition Pat Jones II. After an unfortunate season-ending injury to Jones, Scourton found himself thrust into a starting role.

Scourton did not take the role lightly, maintaining a workman-like mindset that stood out on the field and in press conferences. When he believed some of his teammates weren’t taking the work seriously, he had no fear in calling it out.

Panthers rookie Nic Scourton on lackadaisical approach before facing Saints: “Some guys got too big-headed and forgot what really goes on in the NFL.” pic.twitter.com/81AIavDXYT

— Joe Person (@josephperson) November 10, 2025

When prompted in November, defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero compared the young defender to Kansas City Chiefs linebacker George Karlaftis while trying to describe the rookie’s play style. While Evero wasn’t speaking in terms of statistics, two months later that comparison seems to have been prophetic as their production profiles were eerily similar:

Karlaftis’ 2022 season: 730 snaps in 17 games, 33 combined tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 6 sacks, 11 qb hits, 0 forced fumbles, 7 passes defended

Scourton’s 2025 season: 717 snaps in 17 games, 47 combined tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, 9 qb hits, 1 forced fumble, 1 pass defended

A welcome comparison to a the former first pick who has made a solid career for himself so far by putting pressure on quarterbacks and stopping the run for multiple Super Bowl teams. The hope for Scourton, though, is that he’ll be able to surpass this comparison as a pass rusher while maintaining the production against the run. Scourton may not threaten to lead the league in sacks year over year, there’s nothing in his profile that would suggest he couldn’t flirt with double digit sacks..

Nic Scourton 2025 Rookie Highlights
(*among Rookie Edges)

68.1 Defensive Grade (*7th)
• 47 Total Tackles
• 5 Sacks (*3rd most)
• 23 Defensive Stops (*2nd most)
• 23 QB Hurries (*3rd most) pic.twitter.com/RRTgcRuyMa

— IAmWestsideFetti (@4MR_Fetti) January 8, 2026

Scourton has had several flashes as a rusher that, with further development and/or refinement, could become devastating for an offense. Namely, Scourton’s inside spin has given trouble to even some of the best offensive tackles in the league.

This is one hell of a spin move from #Panthers Nic Scourton against the best left tackle in the NFL pic.twitter.com/iJeIPa7ZQk

— Ricky Raines (@rickyboboddy) November 25, 2025

Don’t take it from me, take it from his competition.

Hall of famer Trent Williams showing major love to Nic Scourton after Monday nights game

Might gotta do a cut up pic.twitter.com/LFLECSdVZS

— The Real Ball Watcher (@thaRBW) November 26, 2025

While it’s a shame that no – or very few – of the major outlets are going to feature Scourton on the 2025 All-Rookie teams, his production in his rookie year deserves plenty of recognition. Scourton’s future is bright and the Panthers front office is likely thrilled to see how their investment in the rising star pays off in 2026 and beyond.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/carolina-panthers-analysis/57858/rising-stars-nic-scourton-2026

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Carolina Panthers 2026 NFL Draft Prospect Profile: Peter Woods

Now that the Panthers have officially entered their offseason, we look ahead toward the 2026 NFL Draft. This weekly series will take a closer look at some of the prospects the Carolina Panthers could select in the 2026 iteration of the Draft. In this series, we’ll only be looking at prospects the Panthers could seriously consider. This week our profile will focus on Clemson Tigers defensive lineman Peter Woods.

Bio​

Woods spent his high school years putting up generational numbers in Alabama, winning four straight state championships and piling up insane stats (260 tackles, 72 TFLs, and nearly 30 sacks). The ninth overall prospect in 2023 committed to Clemson and started making an impact almost immediately. He earned Freshman All-American honors despite only playing about 300 snaps for the Tigers. Since his freshman year, he has split time between defensive tackle and edge defender, showcasing a versatility not usually seen in players his size. He was even used by the offense in jumbo packages to take advantage of his size and athleticism. While he had a relatively down year, so did the rest of the Clemson defense. Woods still has the traits that will absolutely get him drafted in the first round, early second round at worst.

Strengths/Weaknesses​

The combination of size and athleticism pops on tape for Woods. The 6’3”, 315 lbs monster explodes off the snap and has the bend to squeeze through gaps that most interior lineman wouldn’t dream of even trying. He also has the strength in his lower body and violent hands to hold up in the run game and collapse the pocket. The intangibles are also off the charts for Woods, as he has a very high motor, positional flexibility, and high coachability.

While his athleticism often lets him break through the line, he doesn’t have a full set of actual pass rush moves. That plus an inconsistent tackling technique lead to Woods being a dominant force who sometimes struggles to finish the plays. A perfect example is his ten quarterback hurries in the 2025 season while only notching two sacks. If he can get his production to match his physical dominance, he’ll be an absolute game wrecker.

Projection​

Woods could have been a consensus top five selection with a better season this year, but he is still highly thought of and likely a first round pick. His positional versatility means teams that run odd fronts or even fronts could be in on Woods’s disruptive potential. Most quarterbacks struggle with inside pressure, so a player like Woods will be highly coveted by today’s defensive coordinators. Woods also shows up against the run consistently and has the size and strength to anchor when necessary.

While the Panthers defense showed marked improvement compared to the 2024 historically bad unit, the team could still use some game changers on that side of the ball. While they have some good players on the defensive line, Panthers DC Ejiro Evero loves rotating those guys out a lot to keep them fresh. Adding some youth and athleticism to that group could take the defense to the next level.

What do you think, Panthers fans? If Peter Woods is available when the Panthers select in the 2026 NFL Draft, should they take him? Sound off in the comments!

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...s-2026-nfl-draft-prospect-profile-peter-woods

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Ask Brian: Bring us all your offseason questions

Hello CSR! Welcome to Ask Brian, your weekly Panthers fan mailbag for everyone! The season might be over, but last week you all were VERY active in the mailbag. I love it. We’re only a few weeks away from the official end of the postseason. Many head coaches have been fired. The Panthers luckily haven’t been caught up in a lot of that drama, but with all the head coaching seats now available, someone like defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero could be in the running for a promotion. It’ll be an interesting next few weeks as we all wait for free agency, the NFL Combine, and the NFL Draft.

You all know the drill, comment down below with all your burning questions, whether they be Panthers related, football related, or even completely off topic! I’ll answer all your questions later on in the week, and have fun in your discussions in the comments.

KEEP POUNDING!

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...k-brian-bring-us-all-your-offseason-questions

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Adding Teeth to the Bite: Panthers Roster Holes on the Offensive Line

With the Panthers offseason underway and free agency just a couple months away, let’s take a look at some of the areas on the roster that Dan Morgan and Brandt Tillis have to address this offseason. Instead of looking at the entire roster, we are going to break the list down by position group. For the projected market value, I’ll be using Spotrac’s numbers. If you don’t agree with how much a player might get in free agency, take it up with them, not me. This week’s focus will be on the offensive line.

2025 Performance​

The overall performance of the offensive line was a mixed bag and largely depends on the stats you prefer to look at. Pro Football Focus, for example, has the Panthers as the 20th overall offensive line but the 8th best pass protection unit in the league. ESPN’s advanced stats for the offensive line are less complimentary. The Panthers pass block win rate ranked 23rd in the NFL this year (59%) while the run block win rate was 28th overall (70%). Those numbers are in start contrast to other stats like the Panthers ranking 9th in yards before contact per running back rush (1.4) and sixth lowest in run stuff rate (13.3%) according to Sharp Football Analysis. Also according to Sharp, the Panthers were 20th in pressure rate allowed and 21st in pressure rate allowed when not being blitzed, a far cry from the flowers PFF was giving the pass protection unit.

Long story short, the Panthers offensive line was very inconsistent this season, so no one knows what to make of them overall. The team suffered a litany of injuries, leading to ten different starting offensive line combinations just in the first 13 games of the season. This constant flux didn’t do the unit any favors, and the inconsistent numbers on the jerseys led to inconsistent numbers in the box scores.

Panthers’ Free Agents (with Spotrac expected market value)​

OL Austin Corbett ($1.6M)
OT Yosh Nijman ($1.0M)
OL Cade Mays ($12.3M)
OL Brady Christensen (n/a)
OL Jake Curhan (n/a)

The top targets for the Panthers to bring back are likely Cade Mays, the starting center most of the season, Yosh Nijman, and Brady Christensen. Austin Corbett could also be brought back, especially considering the injury issues the team is still dealing with. Christensen is returning from a devastating Achilles rupture in October and may not be ready for opening day. Ikem Ekwonu suffered an end of season patellar tendon tear, putting his availability for 2026 in jeopardy as well. If Christensen is healthy, he could play left tackle until Icky is back. That’s not a bet I’d make if I were the GM, though.

Other Teams’ Free Agents (with Spotrac expected market value)​

Packers OT Rasheed Walker ($20.4M)
Browns OT Cam Robinson ($12.9M)
Saints OG Dillon Radunz ($2.5M)
Dolphins OG Cole Strange ($1.6M)
Giants OC Austin Schlottmann ($2.3M)

There are several serviceable lineman expected to hit the market in March. The Panthers need a potential starter at left tackle (and at center if Mays leaves) and depth at just about every position along the line. If they want to really swing for the fences and plan for life after Taylor Moton, then they could make a push for Packers left tackle Rasheed Walker. He will likely cost upwards of $20M per year, but he could be the team’s left tackle for the foreseeable future, allowing Icky Ekwonu to move to right tackle (or even guard, if necessary). Browns left tackle Cam Robinson would be more of a stop-gap option while Icky recovers, likely on a one or two year deal.

The other three names are realistic depth options that the Panthers might look into. They are expected to be slightly pricier than Corbett and Nijman, but still not outrageously expensive for depth pieces. Saints guard Dillon Radunz and Dolphins guard Cole Strange are both currently only 27 years old, while Giants center Austin Schlottmann is 30. All three could be signed to multi year deals and expected to finish them out, allowing some consistency in the offensive line room if the current crop of Panthers free agents end up leaving.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...e-panthers-roster-holes-on-the-offensive-line

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Brian Answers: Ejiro Evero’s future, the defense, drafting linebackers, and more!

Hello CSR! Welcome to another edition of Brian Answers, part two of your weekly Panthers fan mailbag for everyone! We’re getting into mock draft and free agency speculation season again, and coaches are getting hired every day. Let’s dive right into your burning questions from this week’s mailbag!

Hythloday: What do you think of the Falcons hiring Stefanski?

I actually think the hiring was solid from the standpoint of bringing along something different. They clearly want to put more of a focus on the offensive side of the ball, which makes sense given the investment in Michael Penix Jr a few seasons ago. Stefanski got a bad rap in Cleveland after a couple of very successful seasons by the Browns’ standards to start it all off, but between the disaster that was the Deshaun Watson trade cascaded by many other blunders, I think them moving on and the Falcons picking him up makes sense. Of course, this is purely an objective take and we’ll have to see what direction the team goes in during the off-season to get a better grasp on things, but I didn’t have a negative opinion on the hire at all at first glance.

Bocktean2.0: If the 2023 NFL Draft flips Young and Stroud, is Young headed to Denver with the Texans as a betting favorite to go to a Super Bowl?

Very hard to say. I don’t know if their paths would be much different, but I don’t see Bryce Young at this stage being able to elevate that offense (or horrendous offensive line) enough to push them to the Super Bowl. I’d call it a push at best.

PantherBlueBlood: Do you think Evero gets hired? I like him as our DC although most on here don’t. I just don’t feel like he has not been given the proper personnel to flourish. He making something out of nothing imo. But, when I found out we get 2 third round compensatory picks and the way this team drafts, I wouldn’t hate that at all. The right LB, DT & DE additions in this draft plus FA signings could make a lot of coordinators successful with our current roster.

I’m currently in the very pro Ejiro Evero as defensive coordinator camp. I expect he will eventually get a head coaching job, whether or not its this off-season is a difficult thing to predict simply because there are so many potential candidates out there, many with actual head coaching experience. I think at the moment, he could end up with the Raiders having gone through two interviews already, but if that doesn’t work out I don’t know if he gets signed everywhere else. Which as I stated earlier, would absolutely be fine by me, I’d like to see another Offseason of building the talent on defense under his scheme. Everybody loves extra draft capital, but I don’t feel like I want to see it happen JUST because of the compensatory picks.

@WTMealey: I heard Morgan say they currently have 600+ guys on their big board or some type of evaluation. I assume that includes a buttload of UDFA prospects. What insider info do you have on the process from scout evaluation to a document/spreadsheet that is the guideline for the draft? How do they differentiate between BPA and BVA(Best Value Available)?

Spoiler: I do not have any insider information aside from following along with the draft process, listening to the interviews, and reading speculation and draft talk of experts in the field I respect. The only thing I can say is the Panthers definitely seem to have a type at certain positions, such as corner and EDGE, and they prioritize the trenches in this current iteration of the team. Beyond that, every prediction I make is an educated guess, even if I end up being right more than I would expect!

bolshy: We need help at almost every position on our team. I’m hoping this at least lets us go pure BPA in the draft. What position groups are strong and which are weak in the upcoming draft are which positions do you think we’ll target?

Middle/Inside LB seems to be pretty solid at the top and middle of the Draft, while EDGE seems to not be as deep. I’ll let your fellow draft enthusiasts sound off in the comments!

SpookyZ: With Moton at the end of his career and Icky getting hurt at the end of the season, is it feasible that we target Tackle in the first round, do we sign a free agent or is the answer on the roster? Also, what veteran WRs do you see as the most likely that we bring in?

The Panthers will definitely be signing someone in free agency, whether they bring back Yosh Nijman and target someone who can start when needed. I do think it is feasible they go for a first round talent at tackle, but I would hope that means they did a lot in free agency to get after some other positions. As far as veteran wide receivers go, I wouldn’t expect any big names to be signed. Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker combined with their current batch of young wide receivers seemed to do well, I think they’ll grab a veteran with a more complimentary skill-set, but I don’t see them spending big at that position. Maybe a Greg Dortch or Scotty Miller?

Daddi-o: Do you think Canales will finally relinquish play calling duties and bring in an OC? I think it’s a big reason why the offensive play calling has been so up and down all season and/or lack in the game adjustments.

Absolutely not. The only reason he would is if his job is on the line, the Panthers are on fire, and they are looking for some kind of change of pace to save things. Dave Canales was hired to BE the offensive head coach who calls his own plays, that’s been the recent fad for NFL head coaching hires. He’s still developing, I don’t think handing off coaching calls to someone new would solve anything. If another year under his belt comes and it shows he shouldn’t be calling plays, maybe its possible in 2027. But I think at that point you’d be considering moving on entirely.

CasualFanAlso: If Evero gets a HC job, do the Panthers have coaching depth from which to choose an in house replacement?

If they go outside, do they look for someone who has been involved in a 3-4 scheme, or just pick a coordinator and let him implement his own scheme?

As SnarkyComet responded in the comments, current secondary coach Jonathan Cooley could be tabbed to fill the spot, I’ve seen rumblings of him being considered for interviews outside of Carolina for a DC role. So the Panthers could certainly look to hire from within. Todd Wash (defensive line) was a defensive coordinator for the Jaguars from 2016-2020, and Peter Hansen (linebackers) was a defensive coordinator at UNLV in 2021 prior to making the NFL jump.

If they do go outside, I would assume it is someone who falls into that same Broncos/Rams coaching tree that Evero came from, where the scheme and concepts are likely very similar. That doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be a unique scheme, but the transition would likely go much smoother to bring in someone who cut their teeth along those same lines.

Bull123: after watching games all weekend, including the game Monday, i am even more convinced that you win in the trenches….Hunt & Lewis were fantastic pick-ups for us…what is out there in FA that is realistic for us that will make a real impact?

There are some veteran EDGE players out there that could come in and help this rotation. Dre’Mont Jones, Arden Key, even familiar face Yetur Gross-Matos appear to be available. There will also be some safeties hitting the wire, but the higher end ones won’t be cheap. I’d keep your eye on the bargain bin signings for impact at most positions right now, but as we near closer to free agency and see who doesn’t get re-signed, the picture will be clearer.

GooseCreek: Boxers or Briefs?

I’ve definitely warmed to briefs as I’ve gotten older. And as the comments said, boxer briefs are my favorite.

dayneb12: There seems to be plenty of divide in opinions of Evero as DC. What are some pros and cons to keeping Evero around?

The obvious pros are continuity for the scheme and personnel, another season adding the personnel and developing the young guys inside of the scheme, and keeping that side of the ball basically off of Dave Canales’s plate for the most part. I don’t really have any major cons, I think Evero did a fine job with what he was given in 2025 and would expect another step forward in 2026. Maybe he can be a bit more aggressive with his blitzes and play calling with a more well rounded group.

aaroningreensboro: I honestly think there’s a chance Bryce breaks out into a top 10 QB next year. His poise under pressure is tip-top already. We have two WRs capable of starting for any team in the NFL, and if we start next season with 4 healthy O linemen + a reasonable excuse for a LT I feel like there’s a chance. My question is this:

Am I on crack?

Its certainly possible if Bryce Young takes the massive step forward we expected following the 2024 season. Unfortunately, inconsistency still plagues his game and that will always hold him back from entering that conversation. But, if he can lower the play to play volatility, eliminate the mistakes, and come out faster from the start on both a game and season standpoint, its possible. You aren’t on crack, you just might be more optimistic than many of us, which is okay!

KeepPounding88: I know we’re years away from this now, but if you had to take a random shot in the dark, which QB do you want and/or expect us to draft in 2027 to replace Bryce?

I don’t expect them to draft a replacement in 2027 unless the wheels really fall off next season. They could look to draft competition if they don’t do that this off-season, as far as a name goes, I don’t have one for you yet. College football quarterbacks seem to have a lot of variance year to year on where they are expected to be drafted.

e4*: For a PB&J, grape or strawberry?

I’m definitely a strawberry guy, as that’s one of my favorite fruits. Both are delicious though.

panthers2112: Which would you hate more. Denver getting another ring, or Sean Payton getting another ring?

I assume you might have meant “Patriots” instead of Denver, but I absolutely do not want Sean Payton getting another ring. Not this soon. Not like this. Even with the stench of the 2015 Super Bowl still hanging around, my passionate dislike for Payton definitely transcends the Broncos themselves, but if he wins a ring, that means they win. So no matter what you meant by your questions, its Sean Payton 100%.

Panthers75: Who is your prediction for cap casualty cuts this off-season?

A’Shawn Robinson and Bobby Brown could be cut for some cap relief, but it isn’t a lot. Guard Damien Lewis looks like someone they could let go, but I don’t think that makes sense considering the offensive line is a strength and is already going to the season short handed.

Brazilian Panther: IU CB Ponds to replace Chau, DJ Moore released by the Bears goes back to Charlotte to replace XL who gets shiped somewhere with some Bojangles, DM and DC trade for Max Crosby and makes all the right picks again in April… too much to ask or I’m just daydreaming Brian? Enlighten me.

I don’t expect the Panthers to move on from Chau Smith-Wade. They have a lot of faith in him and I felt he did very well for the role he played. DJ Moore coming home would be a delight, but he won’t be cheap and the Panthers seem very happy with what they have at wide receiver. In both instances I think they could still draft someone to add to CB and WR, but DJ Moore coming back would be expensive.

While as a fan I would love to see the Panthers go get Maxx Crosby, I think it will cost them and this team doesn’t seem to be in a “sell out for the playoffs” stage as of now. But the Draft should be fun and I expect them to be active in it once again. So to all your points, optimistic, but this is the time of year for it!

SnarkyComet: Are we going to have to make a costly move to truly upgrade at LB? I don’t think we’re going to luck into it like some teams do.

There just aren’t many young, high-caliber linebackers projected to hit free agency. And in most of the mock drafts I’ve run, we’re not landing a true impact LB in the first three rounds unless (a) someone falls in fantasy-land fashion (b) we trade up or (c) we reach.

But on the FA end, let’s say the Jags somehow let Devin Lloyd walk*. Are we comfortable overspending to bring him here? If we miss on some of those top LB FAs, do we try and bring Rozeboom back?

This is your annual reminder that Mock Drafts change a ton between now and April, and I think Carolina has a very real shot at landing a starter caliber linebacker in the Draft. But every year with Canales and Dan Morgan, the Panthers go into free agency clearly targeting a position or two to truly upgrade, and linebacker should be one of them this off-season. So I could see them signing a veteran, drafting one, and possibly signing Christian Rozeboom or another veteran depth presence to fill out what was clearly their thinnest position on defense.

That’s all this week, Panthers fans! Join me for another edition next week!

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...ure-the-defense-drafting-linebackers-and-more