Carolina Panthers

Jonathon Brooks

RB

General manager Dan Morgan said in late February that Carolina is optimistic about Brooks' recovery and his odds of contributing on offense during the 2026 campaign. A 2024 second-round pick, Brooks had his rookie debut delayed due to recovery from a right ACL tear sustained in college, and he then suited up for just two games before suffering an ACL tear in the same knee. With Rico Dowdle having moved on to Pittsburgh, Brooks has a clear opportunity to contribute behind Chuba Hubbard if fully healthy, with AJ Dillon and Trevor Etienne representing his top competition for backfield touches.

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.

Sam Martin

P

Martin appeared in all 17 regular-season games for the Panthers in 2025 and averaged 47.2 yards per punt. He landed 27 of his 56 punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line, which was ninth best in the NFL.

Trevis Gipson

LB

Gipson signed with the Panthers in late October after being cut by the 49ers. He appeared in nine regular-season games for Carolina while playing on both defense and special teams, finishing with 12 tackles (five solo), including 1.0 sack. Gipson will have an opportunity to earn an expanded role on defense for the 2026 season, though he'll likely see most of his snaps on special teams.

Nick Scott

S

Scott started all 17 regular-season games for Carolina last year, recording a career-best 111 tackles along with three defensed passes (including an interception). He also played every defensive snap during the team's wild-card loss to the Rams and racked up nine stops. Scott should reprise his starting role at safety alongside Tre'von Moehrig in 2026.

Rasheed Walker

OT

Walker has started 48 games across the last three regular seasons and operated as the Packers' left tackle during the 2025 campaign, playing all 1,057 of his offensive snaps at the position. He gives the Panthers a capable option should Ikem Ekwonu (knee) not be recovered from a torn patellar tendon that he suffered in Carolina's wild-card loss to the Rams in January.

Claudin Cherelus

LB

The 27-year-old has appeared in 27 regular-season games (six starts) for the Panthers over the last two seasons, recording 60 total tackles and one pass defensed. Following his new deal with Carolina, Cherelus is expected to operate as one of the team's top reserve inside linebackers during the 2026 season.

John Metchie III

WR

A 2022 second-round pick, Metchie spent time with three different teams during the length of his rookie contract after missing the 2022 season to recover from cancer. He'll now reunite with college teammate Bryce Young, likely competing for a depth role at wide receiver behind Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker.

James Mitchell

TE

Mitchell will continue to provide depth in a tight end room that also houses Ja'Tavion Sanders (lower leg), Tommy Tremble and Mitchell Evans. Across five regular-season games in 2025, Mitchell secured all three of his targets for 28 yards.

Stone Forsythe

OT

Forsythe has shown flexibility on the offensive line over his five-year career, playing multiple positions and holding his own. He started 13 of 17 games for the Raiders last season. The 28-year-old will need to battle for a full-time starting role in Carolina.

Luke Fortner

C

Fortner started 44 regular-season games over four years with the Jaguars, although he started just 10 games over the past two. The 2022 third-round pick should be favored to win the starting center job in Carolina.

David Moore

WR

Moore caught just one pass across four regular-season appearances in 2025. The depth wide receiver will likely reprise his role as an emergency option in 2026. Moore's deal is likely another one-year deal around the league minimum, with additional money tied to incentives.

Isaiah Simmons

LB

Simmons signed a one-year deal with the Panthers in late December, and the team seems to want to keep the former Clemson linebacker around. It is likely another one-year deal for Simmons, who was primarily a special-teams player down the stretch of the 2025 regular season. The 27-year-old played just one defensive snap last season, something that may change with a full offseason to immerse himself in the Panthers' defensive scheme.

LaBryan Ray

DE

The 28-year-old from Alabama has operated in a depth role on the Panthers' defensive line over the last two seasons, tallying 54 total tackles, including 1.0 sacks, across 29 regular-season appearances. He's expected to continue playing behind Derrick Brown, Tershawn Wharton (hamstring) and Bobby Brown during the 2026 season.

Thomas Incoom

LB

Although Incoom played just 25 defensive snaps across the Panthers' 17 regular-season games in 2025, he led the team with 16 total tackles on special teams. Following his new deal, the Central Michigan product is expected to remain one of Carolina's most impactful special-team assets during the 2026 season.

Akayleb Evans

CB

The 26-year-old corner appeared in 16 regular-season games for the Panthers last season, recording 12 total tackles while playing a key role on special teams (153 snaps). After re-signing with Carolina on Monday, Evans is expected to maintain a similar role ahead of the 2026 season.

Devin Lloyd

LB

After being selected with the 27th overall pick in the 2022 Draft, Lloyd spent his first four seasons with the Jaguars. After posting 100-plus tackles in three straight seasons, Lloyd managed just 81 tackles (35 solo), including 1.5 sacks, across 15 regular-season starts during the 2025 campaign. However, Lloyd made an impact elsewhere in the box score, recording seven pass breakups, including a career-best five interceptions, and was named a second-team All-Pro. Lloyd should be an every-down linebacker in Carolina after playing just 73 percent of the defensive snaps for the Jaguars last season.

Kenny Pickett

QB

Journeyman QB Andy Dalton remains under contract with the Panthers, but considering his guaranteed money ($2 million) is half that of Pickett's, the latter seems poised to be Bryce Young's backup in 2026 while Dalton could see himself cut for minimal cap savings. Since moving on from Pittsburgh after the 2023 season, Pickett has made 11 appearances (three starts) the last two campaigns between the Eagles and Raiders, completing 53 of 87 passes (60.9 percent) for 479 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions, rushing 14 times for 37 yards and one more score and fumbling twice (one lost).

Robert Rochell

CB

Rochell hasn't totaled more than 10 tackles in a season since his rookie year with the Rams in 2021, but he's solidified himself as a solid contributor on special teams. He contributed in such a role across four regular-season appearances with Carolina in 2025, in addition to two games with the Cowboys.

Jaelan Phillips

LB

Phillips' massive new contract won't be finalized until the new league year begins Wednesday. Carolina is banking on a return to form for Miami's 2021 first-round pick, as Phillips had just 6.0 sacks in 21 games split between Miami and Philadelphia over the past two regular seasons after notching at least 6.5 sacks in each of his first three campaigns with the Dolphins.

Brycen Tremayne

WR

Tremayne will return to Carolina after securing 14 of 18 targets for 160 scoreless yards across 16 regular-season appearances during the 2025 campaign. In addition to his role as a depth wideout, Tremayne was a fixture on special teams for Carolina, logging 230 snaps in kick coverage.

Jalen Coker

WR

Coker will thus stick with the Panthers on a one-year deal through the 2026 season. He missed the first six games of 2025 due to a quad injury, then logged a 33-394-3 receiving line across his 11 following regular-season appearances. Coker's highlight performance came during his postseason debut, however, when he secured nine of 12 targets for 134 yards and a touchdown during Carolina's wild-card round loss to the Rams. With another offseason of development under his belt, Coker will be a genuine candidate to step up alongside Tetairoa McMillan as one of the Panthers' clear top wideouts during the 2026 season.

Patrick Jones II

LB

Signed to a two-year, $15 million deal last offseason following a breakout 2024 campaign with the Vikings, Jones appeared in just four regular-season games during his first season with Carolina. The outside linebacker will look to return to form in 2026 after he racked up a career-high 7.0 sacks across 15 regular-season games with Minnesota two seasons ago.