Panthers eye critical upgrades during free agency period

CHARLES WATKINS | THE CHARLOTTE POST

The Carolina Panthers have a need for pass rushers who can lift a defense that’s been at the bottom of the NFL in sacks the last three seasons. The Panthers have potential contributors in second-year players like Princely Umanmiele (3) and Nic Scorton.

The 2026 Carolina Panthers are open for business. 

On Monday, general manager Dan Morgan will begin reaching out to free agents during the NFL’s open tampering window. The two-day period allows teams to begin negotiating potential deals. 
March 11 marks the official start of the league season. 

Can the rebuilding Panthers, who claimed the NFC South title and ended a seven-season playoff drought despite an 8-9 record, continue to improve on the 2025 turnaround? Morgan feels the rising pressure, but insisted during his end-of-2025 press conference Jan. 13 that “we’re not going to be reckless, but we are going to attack our needs.” 

Adding defensive playmakers tops Morgan’s to-do list with free agency and the draft festivities April 24-26 in Green Bay. 

The NFL announced Feb. 27 that teams’ salary cap will be adjusted to approximately $301.2 million, an increase of $22 million. The Panthers rank No. 23 with $7.315 million in cap space, according to Spotrac.com. 
Morgan reportedly is evaluating several moves to reshape the roster before the Panthers kick off  with their first Pro Football Hall of Fame Game appearance since 1995, their inaugural season. Carolina will face the Arizona Cardinals on Aug. 6 in Canton, Ohio.  

Among the transactions he could make to create additional financial flexibility, Morgan could cut or trade defensive lineman A'Shawn Robinson, who has a 2026 cap hit of $12.5 million, edge Patrick Jones II ($10.1 million), tight end Tommy Tremble ($8 million) and quarterback Andy Dalton ($5.8 million). 

Despite the urgency to remain competitive, Morgan declared: “We are going to remain patient.” 

Depending on the Panthers’ eventual budget, Morgan helped solidify the offense by committing to a fifth year for quarterback Bryce Young, announcing at the scouting combine last month that coach Dave Canales handed the play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Brad Idzik and activating wide receiver Jalen Coker’s exclusive rights tender. 

Here are defensive positions Morgan likely will target: 

Outside linebacker/edge  

There is a common thread to Morgan’s agenda: reinforcing the front seven, spearheaded by the franchise’s long-suffering pressure rate. The Panthers ranked No. 30 in sacks last season with 30. In 2024, they were 29th with 32 and last in ‘23 with 27. 

Free agent D.J. Wonnum, who posted 7.5 sacks over the past two seasons following a nagging quad injury, is not expected to return and Morgan has not publicly tipped his hand regarding a free-agent pursuit of former Miami Dolphins edge Bradley Chubb.    

Morgan invested a second-round draft pick (Nic Scourton) and a third rounder (Princely Umanmielen) last year. Scourton emerged during the second half, producing five sacks and could be a future cornerstone. Umanmielen remains a work in progress.  

Trey Hendrickson may be the biggest name on the edge market, but the former Cincinnati Bengals star likely has already priced himself out of the Panthers’ short-term plans. Could Morgan’s attention shift to K’Lavon Chaisson? The former first-round pick had a breakout season with New England last season and could emerge as a solid mid-level signing for the pressure-needy Panthers. 

Inside linebacker 

This is where the Panthers lack playmaking skill. Christian Rozeboom, 29, held down the starting job last season after Josey Jewel unexpectedly retired during the summer. The 29-year-old free agent recorded a team-high 122 tackles last season but often appeared exposed in pass coverage.  

For defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero’s 3-4 defense to click, inside linebackers need to be versatile. Outside of 2024 draft pick Trevin Wallace, who missed five starts last season, positional depth could develop via free agency and the draft. 

Quay Walker entered free agency after the Green Bay Packers declined the fifth season on his rookie deal. Walker, a defensive captain in 2025, posted four straight 100-plus-tackle seasons. Walker, a defensive captain in 2025, could serve as a long-term fix, along with former Jacksonville Jaguars standout Devin Lloyd. 

Veteran Bobby Wagner, the 2025 Walter Payton Man of the Year, remains available and could help Canales reinforce a positive locker-room culture. 

Offensive line 

Among the Panthers’ 17 free agents, the top-heavy group features center Cade Mays and running back Rico Dowdle. Both are expected to attract significant interest throughout the league. Mays could be a long-shot candidate to return, but Dowdle seeks a primary role and would rather not share time with Chuba Hubbard again.  

As left tackle Ikem Ekwonu recovers from the ruptured patellar tendon injury he suffered during the first quarter of the wild-card game loss to the Los Angeles Rams last January, Morgan could view the return of swing tackle Yosh Nijman as a vital link. The 30-year-old veteran is a strong run blocker and inconsistent pass protector. With a 2025 cap hit of $3.4 million, Nijman could prove to be a cost-effective, short-term solution. 

During the scouting combine, Carolina was linked to Alabama tackle Kadyn Proctor, who could be in play with the 19th draft pick. 

“I see even bigger things moving forward to where this is going to be a consistent thing and not just a flash in the pan,” Morgan said. “Like, we’re expecting to win now. We’re not coming into a season unsure; we feel like we know where we are. 

“We feel like we know who we are. And we’re just ready to get to work and we have to earn everything.”

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