Carolina Panthers

Jalen Coker

WR

Coker was entering a contract year after signing his exclusive-rights free-agent tender with Carolina in April, but he will now be under contract for the next few seasons. The wide receiver has combined to catch 65 of 89 targets for 872 yards and five touchdowns over 22 regular-season contests in his first two NFL campaigns. He is set to enter the 2026 season as the Panthers' primary slot receiver, and he'll look to take a step up in production after his big payday.

Xavier Legette

WR

Legette also told reporters that he tried to "bulletproof" his problematic hamstrings this offseason. He's missed only three games since the Panthers took him 32nd overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, but recurring hamstring issues have limited his practice time -- and potentially impacted his in-game performance. Averaging 27.7 receiving yards per game and 5.8 yards per target through two NFL seasons, Legette may now have to compete for the No. 3 WR job during training camp. Rookie third-round pick Chris Brazzell headlines the potential competition, with John Metchie and Jimmy Horn being the dark-horse candidates.

Tetairoa McMillan

WR

McMillan missed some time during OTAs due to what was initially labeled a foot issue, but it is now being dubbed ankle soreness. He participated in practice during the first day of mandatory minicamp Tuesday, but per Sheena Quick of Fox Sports Radio 1340, the 2025 first-rounder is not dressed for practice Wednesday. McMillan himself said Wednesday that he currently feels good and expects to be ready for training camp in July, Kaye reports, an indication that his reps at minicamp may simply be being capped as a precaution. According to Joe Person of The Athletic, head coach Dave Canales said that Carolina's plan is for McMillan to take part in two of the team's three minicamp practices, so the wideout should be back on the field Thursday.

Ikem Ekwonu

OT

Ekwonu said he is "crushing it" in rehab as he works his way back from a ruptured patellar tendon in his right knee. The 2022 first-round pick is expected to return to the field at some point during the upcoming campaign.

Thomas Incoom

LB

The nature of Incoom's operation isn't clear, so it remains to be seen what his recovery timeline looks like ahead of training camp next month. The 27-year-old linebacker appeared in all 17 regular-season contests last season, recording 17 tackles (nine solo) while seeing the vast majority of his playing time on special teams.

Trevor Etienne

RB

A 2025 fourth-round pick, Etienne took just 23 touches on offense during his rookie season, getting far more work on special teams -- 20 punt returns for 163 yards, 31 kick returns for 733 yards while playing in all 17 regular-season games. He was one of the least effective return specialists in the league, so he'll need to compete for the kick and punt return jobs this summer. Perhaps there's also a competition for the No. 2 RB role behind Hubbard, though fantasy ADPs and early beat-writer reports both peg Brooks as a strong favorite. Behind Hubbard, Brooks and Etienne, the Panthers have veteran journeyman AJ Dillon and UDFAs Anthony Tyus and Miles Davis.

Jonathon Brooks

RB

The running back did participate in individual drills Tuesday, with his limitations characterized by coach Dave Canales as "just a rest day." Given Brooks' injury history, notably two ACL tears, it's not surprising that his workload is being monitored, with an eye toward ensuring he's at full strength once the regular season arrives. In terms of how Brooks has looked in OTAs, Canales noted that "JB's looked great, in the run game certainly, but also in the pass game. He has a great ability to catch the ball, track it, and transition once he catches it." With Rico Dowdle now with the Steelers, Brooks -- who missed the entire 2025 season -- has an opportunity to claim a notable backfield role alongside Chuba Hubbard in 2026, provided he can stay on the field.

Ja'Tavion Sanders

TE

Sanders is running and cutting laterally without issue at OTAs, and it appears he's officially back to full health after having undergone surgery to address a broken right fibula suffered last December. He and Tommy Tremble remain positioned as the Panthers' top options at the tight end position, with Sanders potentially being the favorite for more pass-catching utilization. Across 13 regular-season appearances in 2025, Sanders secured 29 of 34 targets for 190 yards and one score.

Trevin Wallace

LB

The 23-year-old linebacker from Kentucky had season-ending shoulder surgery following the Panthers' Week 15 loss to the Saints, and it now appears he had a second procedure during the offseason. Wallace was one of Carolina's leading tacklers last season, tallying 61 stops, including 2.0 sacks, and four passes defensed across just 12 regular-season games. Once fully healthy, he's expected to start alongside Devin Lloyd as the Panthers' top inside linebacker duo.

Miles Davis

RB

Davis ended his collegiate career with Utah State in 2025, where he ran the ball 131 times for 731 yards and eight touchdowns while catching 28 passes for 201 yards and three touchdowns. The undrafted rookie will look to earn a spot on the active roster as he competes in the Panthers' offseason program.

Tershawn Wharton

DT

Wharton signed a three-year, $45 million contract with the Panthers last offseason, and he played just nine regular-season games in 2025, recording 36 tackles (11 solo), 2.0 sacks and a pass breakup. It's unclear if he'll miss any time, but LaBryan Ray would likely handle an increased workload if Wharton's injury lingers.

Kobe Prentice

WR

Prentice had a decent freshman season at Alabama with a 31-337-2 line over 13 games, but he never really progressed from there, topping out at 380 yards and six touchdowns as a senior at Baylor. He's undersized (5-foot-10, 184 pounds) but showcased 4.37 40-yard dash at his pro day, and he'll need to make an impact on special teams to have a chance at the 53-man roster.

Bryce Young

QB

The anticipated move will keep the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft under contract with Carolina through the 2027 season. The 24-year-old is coming off a career year in 2025, during which he set new highs in passing yards (3,011), TDs (23), completion percentage (63.6) and passer rating (87.8), among other other categories, over the course of 16 regular-season contests. Since then, the Panthers signed Kenny Pickett to back up Young and added deep threat Chris Brazzell in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft, providing Young a player with upside to fortify a WR corps that returns Tetairoa McMillan, Jalen Coker and Xavier Legette.

Jackson Kuwatch

LB

Kuwatch transferred from Ohio State to Miami (Ohio) in 2023, but he didn't become a full-time starter on defense until his senior year in 2025, when he was named to the All-MAC Third-Team after logging 109 total tackles, including 5.0 sacks, and one pass defense across 14 games. Kuwatch served as the RedHawks' middle linebacker, and his experience on special teams during his five-year college career could help him earn a spot on the Panthers' 53-man roster for the 2026 season. He'll enter the offseason program and training camp competing for a depth spot at inside linebacker against the likes of Claudin Cherelus, Bam Martin-Scott and Isaiah Simmons.

Zakee Wheatley

S

Wheatley (6-foot-3, 203 pounds) started the final two seasons of his five years at Penn State, demonstrating the versatility and physicality to make up for his lack of high-end speed (4.62 40-yard dash). As a rookie, Wheatley and 2025 pick Lathan Ransom figure to operate as Carolina's top reserve options at safety behind Tre'von Moehrig and Nick Scott. Wheatley boasts the experience to contribute in a rotational role during his first pro season under defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero.

Sam Hecht

C

Hecht only emerged as starter in his fourth and fifth seasons at Kansas State, but he played very well from that point and otherwise logged pre-draft athletic testing with mostly good results. At 6-foot-4, 303 pounds Hecht has only an average frame by center standards, though, and his 31 and 5/8-inch arms grade as only 13th percentile among centers, according to Mockdraftable. Second-round pick Logan Jones of the Bears had even shorter arms yet, but Jones is something like a 90th-percentile athlete at center while Hecht is probably only something more like a 65th-percentile athlete at center. Either way, there's still a plenty good chance Hecht emerges as an average or better starting center for Carolina, including potentially as soon as 2026. Luke Fortner is the only competition otherwise, and Hecht might be better as a rookie.

Will Lee III

CB

Lee (6-foot-2, 189 pounds) is a bit light and might have below-average speed for a starting corner (4.52-second 40), but he has excellent reach for press coverage (32 and 3/4-inch arms) and stood out as starter for Texas A&M the last two years. Lee had to work his way up from Iowa Western Community College (2021-22) and Kansas State (2023) before that, holding serve with each jump in competition. Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero is one of the best defensive backs coaches in the league, so Lee landed in a good spot.

Chris Brazzell II

WR

Brazzell posted an impressive 4.37-second 40-yard dash time at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, and that speed -- coupled with a 6-foot-4 frame -- served him well during his four-year college career. He spent his final two years in Tennessee and was named to both the All-American Third-Team and All-SEC First-Team in 2025 after catching 62 passes for 1,017 yards and nine touchdowns across 12 games. Brazzell has no trouble getting to top speed, making him a dangerous deep threat that can win any jump ball, though his route-running tree and run blocking will both need to improve at the NFL level. With 2025 Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan leading the Panthers' pass-catching group, Brazzell's main competition for targets from QB Bryce Young will come from Jalen Coker and Xavier Legette.

Lee Hunter

DT

Carolina traded up to the 49th overall pick with Minnesota in order to draft Hunter (6-foot-3, 318 pounds), an indication that the team considers upgrading from incumbent nose tackle Bobby Brown. There are no questions about Hunter's size or ability to stuff the run, but his lack of explosiveness -- having posted the worst vertical of the 2026 NFL Combine (21.5 inches) -- gesture toward limitations as a pass rusher. Hunter will turn 24 years old in advance of training camp and boasts the collegiate experience to contribute right out of the gate as a rookie.

Monroe Freeling

OT

Freeling (6-foot-7, 315 pounds) might be more potential than polish after starting just one year at Georgia, but that one year was promising to the point that this selection looks like a steal for the Panthers. Carolina might be unsure of what to expect in the recovery process for Ikem Ekwonu (patellar tendon), and the otherwise excellent Taylor Moton at right tackle will turn 32 in August. As much as Freeling played left tackle at Georgia and can easily project there in the NFL, Freeling could just as easily play on the right side.

Will Grier

QB

Grier will sign on as the Panthers' third-string QB, behind Bryce Young and Kenny Pickett, providing the team with positional depth in advance of the 2026 NFL Draft. A 2019 third-round pick, Grier hasn't logged any regular-season action since he made two appearances as a rookie with Carolina.

Brycen Tremayne

WR

Tremayne will officially return to Carolina for at least another season after being tendered by the club in early March. The 26-year-old was a regular part of the offense for the first time as a pro last year, tallying 14 catches for 160 yards over 262 offensive snaps spanning 16 regular-season games. He also played regularly on special teams and likely will retain the same role as a depth wideout and special-teamer during the upcoming season.

Nick Hampton

LB

A fifth-round pick in 2023 by the Rams, Hampton appeared in 36 regular-season games across three seasons with Los Angeles. He recorded 17 tackles (eight solo) and a pair of pass breakups, working mainly on special teams.

Feleipe Franks

TE

It's a homecoming for Franks after he spent the 2024 season with Carolina before spending the 2025 campaign with the Falcons. A special-teams stalwart, Franks appeared in all 17 regular-season contests last season, recording 11 tackles (eight solo) on 299 snaps in kick coverage.

AJ Dillon

RB

Dillon spent last year handling a depth role for the Eagles, logging 12 carries for 60 yards and three catches for 21 yards across seven regular-season appearances. Now with Carolina, Dillon figures to compete for a reserve role and short-yardage work behind incumbent starter Chuba Hubbard, with Jonathon Brooks (knee) and Trevor Etienne already battling for touches. Dillon lacks a clear path to fantasy relevance for the 2026 campaign.