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Jonathon Brooks Jonathon Brooks On track for OTAs
Mon, Mar 30, 2026, 10:18 AM
Panthers head coach Dave Canales said Monday that he expects Brooks (knee) to be ready to participate in OTAs and minicamp, Joe Person of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: 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. |
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Feleipe Franks Feleipe Franks Signs with Carolina
Fri, Mar 20, 2026, 7:49 PM
The Panthers signed Franks on Friday, NFL reporter Jordan Schultz reports.
Analysis: 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. |
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A.J. Dillon A.J. Dillon Picked up by Panthers
Wed, Mar 18, 2026, 12:35 PM
Dillon agreed to terms Wednesday on a one-year contract with Carolina, Glenn Erby of USA Today reports.
Analysis: 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. |
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John Metchie John Metchie Reunites with Bryce Young
Wed, Mar 11, 2026, 3:34 PM
Metchie is signing a one-year deal with Carolina, Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer reports.
Analysis: A 2022 second-round pick, Metchie spent time with three different teams during 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. |
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James Mitchell James Mitchell Re-signs with Panthers
Wed, Mar 11, 2026, 11:51 AM
Mitchell has agreed to terms on a one-year contract with Carolina, Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer reports.
Analysis: 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 he secured all three of his targets for 28 yards. |
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David Moore David Moore Re-signing with Carolina
Tue, Mar 10, 2026, 3:36 PM
Moore agreed to terms Tuesday on a contract to remain with the Panthers, Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer reports.
Analysis: 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 term around the league minimum, with additional money tied to incentives. |
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Kenny Pickett Kenny Pickett Moving on to Carolina
Mon, Mar 9, 2026, 5:32 PM
Pickett is slated to sign a one-year contract with the Panthers, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Analysis: 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). |
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Brycen Tremayne Brycen Tremayne Receives ERFA tender
Wed, Mar 4, 2026, 6:26 PM
The Panthers placed an exclusive rights free agent tender on Tremayne on Wednesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Analysis: 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. |
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Jalen Coker Jalen Coker Tendered contract by Panthers
Wed, Mar 4, 2026, 1:41 PM
Carolina placed an placed exclusive rights free agent tender on Coker on Wednesday, Darin Gantt of the team's official site reports.
Analysis: 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. |
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Andy Dalton Andy Dalton Drawing trade interest
Wed, Feb 25, 2026, 2:20 PM
The Panthers have reportedly been getting calls about Dalton regarding a potential trade, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Analysis: Dalton has one more year left on his deal with Carolina, but as David Newton of ESPN.com suggests, moving the veteran signal caller could make sense for the team, considering GM Dan Morgan indicated Tuesday that Dalton would have to compete for the backup job (behind Bryce Young) with a younger QB to be added through free agency or the draft. Dalton drew just one start during four regular-season appearances with the Panthers in 2025, but overall, the 38-year-old, who entered the NFL as a second-round pick by the Bengals in 2011, has 169 regular-season starts to his credit. |
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Jonathon Brooks Jonathon Brooks Rehab going smoothly
Wed, Feb 25, 2026, 10:02 AM
General manager Dan Morgan said Tuesday that Brooks (knee) is doing well in his rehab, and the Panthers are optimistic that the running back will be able to contribute in 2026, Darin Gantt of the Panthers' official site reports.
Analysis: Morgan didn't provide any specifics regarding where Brooks stands in his rehab program for the right knee ACL tear he sustained in December 2024, but the 22-year-old at least appears to have avoided any setbacks in his recovery from surgery. A second-round pick in 2024, Brooks has appeared in just three games through two seasons, as he was delayed at the start of his rookie campaign while recovering from an ACL tear that he sustained in college in the same knee. Coming off a pair of major surgeries, Brooks will need to prove that his explosiveness hasn't been compromised as he aims to secure a role out of the Carolina backfield. The Panthers leaned primarily on the duo of Rico Dowdle and Chuba Hubbard out of the backfield in 2025, but with Dowdle bound for free agency this offseason, Carolina could have an opening for Brooks to serve as the top complement to Hubbard during the upcoming season. |
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Rico Dowdle Rico Dowdle Uncertain to return to Carolina
Wed, Feb 25, 2026, 8:13 AM
General manager Dan Morgan said Tuesday that the door is open for Dowdle to return to Carolina in 2026, but the Panthers will give him the opportunity to test the market in free agency, Darin Gantt of the team's official site reports.
Analysis: Though the Panthers are seemingly keen on retaining Dowdle at the right price, it's possible that the franchise won't be able to afford the running back coming off his second straight 1,000-yard rushing season. If Dowdle heads elsewhere, Morgan expressed confidence in the remaining members of the running back room (Chuba Hubbard, Jonathon Brooks and Trevor Etienne) being capable of picking up the slack. After opening 2025 as the Panthers' starter before sliding to second on the depth chart, Hubbard had already moved back into a near-even timeshare with Dowdle by the end of the regular season and then handily out-snapped and out-touched Dowdle in the Panthers' wild-card loss to the Rams. |
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Tetairoa McMillan Tetairoa McMillan Named top rookie
Thu, Feb 5, 2026, 8:34 PM
McMillan was named the 2025 Offensive Rookie of the Year on Thursday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Analysis: The Panthers selected McMillan with the eighth overall pick in the 2025 Draft, and he quickly emerged as Carolina's top pass catcher. Even with inconsistent quarterback play and low pass volume in the offense, McMillan topped 1,000 receiving yards in 17 regular-season games while reaching 100 yards in two separate contests. He could face similar obstacles in 2026, but McMillan will remain a key part of the offense and should earn plenty of targets. |
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David Moore David Moore Catches one pass in 2025
Wed, Feb 4, 2026, 5:56 PM
Moore caught his lone target for five yards across four regular-season appearances during the 2025 season.
Analysis: After posting a 32-351-3 receiving line on 57 targets across all 17 regular-season contests, including five starts, during the 2024 campaign, Moore was relegated to strict reserve duties this season. Now 31 years old, Moore is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent next month. |
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Andy Dalton Andy Dalton Attempts 37 passes in 2025
Wed, Feb 4, 2026, 5:28 PM
Dalton completed 25 of 37 passes for 293 yards, one touchdown and one interception across four regular-season appearances during the 2025 season.
Analysis: Dalton made one start in place of an injured Bryce Young in Week 8 against the Bills but guided the offense to just nine points in a 40-9 blowout loss. Dalton will turn 39 years old later this year and is under contract through the 2026 campaign at a reasonable $3.9 million salary. He should be back as Young's backup next season. |
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Bryce Young Bryce Young Fifth-year option getting picked up
Tue, Jan 13, 2026, 11:05 AM
General manager Dan Morgan announced Tuesday that Carolina plans to exercise the 2027 team option on Young's contract this offseason, Darin Gantt of the Panthers' official site reports.
Analysis: Young's fifth-year option is projected to come in at around $26.5 million and will be fully guaranteed. While the Panthers' willingness to pick up the option represents some level of commitment to the 24-year-old signal-caller, Young may need to make more dramatic strides in 2026 in order to land a long-term extension. He showed some modest improvement in Year 3, leading an 8-9 Panthers squad to its first NFC South title in a decade while directing six game-winning drives. Young completed 304 of 478 pass attempts for 3,011 yards, 23 touchdowns and 11 interceptions to go with 216 yards and two scores on 54 carries over 16 starts during the regular season. A respectable showing against the heavily favored Rams in the wild-card round this past weekend will also be a confidence booster for the QB heading into 2026. |
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Xavier Legette Xavier Legette Disappoints in sophomore season
Mon, Jan 12, 2026, 2:56 PM
Legette caught one of four targets for eight yards during Saturday's 34-31 wild-card loss to the Rams. Additionally, he recorded 44 kick return yards.
Analysis: The 2024 first-round pick from South Carolina was one of six Panthers to catch a pass from Bryce Young during Saturday's loss, finishing with the fifth-most receiving yards on the team. Across 15 regular-season appearances, Legette caught 35 of 64 targets for 363 yards and three touchdowns, finishing the year as Carolina's third-leading receiver. Heading into his third season in the NFL, Legette likely will remain a depth option in the Panthers' receiving corps following the emergence of Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker during the 2025 campaign. |
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Tommy Tremble Tommy Tremble Career year in 2025
Mon, Jan 12, 2026, 2:44 PM
Tremble caught all three of his targets for 22 yards during Saturday's 34-31 wild-card loss to the Rams.
Analysis: Tremble made his presence felt during the Panthers' wild-card loss, finishing as the team's third-leading receiver while hauling in all of his targets. The fifth-year pro from Notre Dame signed a two-year extension with Carolina last offseason and quickly validated the move, setting career highs in both receptions (27) and yards (249) during the 2025 season. With Tremble, Ja'Tavion Sanders (ankle, IR) and Mitchell Evans all under contract for 2026, Carolina's tight end room will likely remain crowded heading into next season. |
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Ainias Smith Ainias Smith Staying with Panthers
Mon, Jan 12, 2026, 12:34 PM
Smith signed a reserve/future contract with the Panthers on Monday, Darin Gantt of the team's official site reports.
Analysis: Smith appeared in seven regular-season games for the Eagles as a rookie, but the 2024 fifth-round draft pick was waived prior to the 2025 season and subsequently signed with Carolina's practice squad, where he spent the entire 2025 campaign. He will likely get a chance to compete for a roster spot with the Panthers in training camp in 2026. |
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Dan Chisena Dan Chisena Sticking around in Carolina
Mon, Jan 12, 2026, 12:18 PM
Chisena signed a reserve/future contract with the Panthers on Monday, Darin Gantt of the team's official site reports.
Analysis: Chisena spent most of the 2026 season on Carolina's practice squad but was elevated for one game during the 2025 regular season. He has 38 regular-season appearances but just three catches in his NFL career. Chisena will likely get a chance to compete for a roster spot in training camp. |
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