Panthers May Finally Be Building a Roster Instead of Constantly Rebuilding One

For most of the last decade, the Carolina Panthers have seemingly been stuck in a never-ending rebuild. New coaches, new quarterbacks, and new plans have come and gone, with each one promising to finally get the franchise headed in the right direction.

There have been trades, free-agent signings, and draft picks that were supposed to be the missing piece. Too often, Carolina found itself right back where it started.

This time, though, something feels different.

Instead of trying to find a quick fix, the Panthers finally appear to be building a roster with a young core that could grow together. Dan Morgan and Dave Canales haven’t finished the job, but for the first time in years, Carolina looks like it may be building something meant to last.

It starts with Bryce Young

It really started when the Panthers went all in to make the trade for Bryce Young. For years, Carolina had been putting Band-Aids on the quarterback situation. They were basically using the plug-and-play method and hoping something would eventually work.

During the post-Cam Newton era, Carolina tried everyone from Teddy Bridgewater and Sam Darnold to Baker Mayfield. They even brought Newton back for another run. Eventually, the Panthers realized that if they wanted to fix the position, they were going to have to make an aggressive move to get their quarterback of the future.

It hasn’t always been perfect with Young. In fact, there were plenty of times when fans had every reason to question whether Carolina made the right move, especially after the early success of C.J. Stroud. Things reached a low point when Young was benched for Andy Dalton early in his second season.

Instead of folding, Young responded. He continued to work, eventually got his job back, and has continued to improve since then. Last season, Young threw for a career-high 3,011 yards and 23 touchdowns while completing 63.6% of his passes.

Now the conversation around Young is much different. Instead of spending another offseason searching for a starting quarterback, Carolina can concentrate on building around the one it already has.

Carolina started giving Young help

Once the Panthers identified Young as their quarterback of the future, the next step was doing what good organizations do: surround him with players who can help him succeed.

The organization already had an established running game with Chuba Hubbard, but Carolina made perhaps its biggest investment in Young’s supporting cast when it selected Tetairoa McMillan with the No. 8 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

McMillan’s breakout rookie season showed why Carolina was willing to spend a top-10 selection on him, as he caught 70 passes for 1,014 yards and seven touchdowns, becoming Carolina’s first 1,000-yard receiver since DJ Moore.

Carolina also found production in a place almost nobody expected. Jalen Coker arrived as an undrafted free agent out of Holy Cross in 2024 and, in his first two seasons, caught 65 passes for 872 yards and five touchdowns despite playing in only 22 regular-season games.

His development has been impressive enough that Carolina signed him to a three-year extension this summer that keeps him with the Panthers through 2029. That’s the type of move that can sometimes get overlooked.

Carolina didn’t have to use a high draft pick or spend big money in free agency to find Coker. They identified him, developed him, and then made sure he remained part of the organization.

That’s how you build a roster.

Building in the trenches

Carolina didn’t stop at adding weapons around Young. With the No. 19 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Panthers selected Georgia offensive tackle Monroe Freeling.

At 6-foot-7 and around 315 pounds, Freeling certainly has the size to play the position. He started 13 games at left tackle during his final season at Georgia and earned second-team All-SEC honors.

Since arriving in Carolina, Freeling has worked at right tackle. No matter which side he ultimately ends up on, the selection showed that Carolina understands something important: giving Young weapons doesn’t mean much if he doesn’t have time to get them the football.

The Panthers also used a fifth-round selection on Kansas State center Sam Hecht, who had 25 collegiate starts before arriving in Carolina. Those might not be the moves that get fans as excited as drafting a receiver or signing a big-name free agent, but successful teams are usually built from the inside out.

Morgan didn’t forget about the defense

Offense isn’t the only place where Morgan has made significant investments. Carolina added Jaelan Phillips and Devin Lloyd to its front seven this offseason, and both players have already shown they can make plays at the NFL level.

Phillips gives Carolina another player who can get after the quarterback. He has 28 career sacks in 63 regular-season games and finished last season with five sacks while splitting time between Miami and Philadelphia. Phillips also generated 61 quarterback pressures last season, which ranked 11th in the NFL.

Lloyd gives the Panthers something different at linebacker. The former first-round pick earned All-Pro honors last season after recording 76 tackles and five interceptions for Jacksonville, including a 99-yard return for a touchdown. He now has nine interceptions in four NFL seasons.

Morgan also continued adding young talent through the draft, selecting Texas Tech defensive tackle Lee Hunter with the No. 49 overall pick. Hunter recorded 41 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks during his final college season. Putting another young defensive tackle alongside Derrick Brown gives Carolina another player it can develop instead of having to search for another short-term answer down the road.

Building instead of starting over

None of this means the Panthers have everything figured out. There are still holes on this roster: young players who have to prove themselves and plenty left for Morgan and Canales to accomplish. Not every move is going to work, either.

But that’s not really the point. For years, Carolina seemed to spend every offseason trying to fix what went wrong the year before. A new quarterback would arrive, a new coach would take over or another veteran would be brought in with hopes that he could be the missing piece.

Now there appears to be an actual foundation. Young is entering his fourth season. McMillan is coming off a 1,000-yard rookie year. Coker went from being undrafted to earning a contract that keeps him in Carolina through 2029. The Panthers spent another first-round pick on an offensive tackle while continuing to add pieces to the defense.

Nobody knows yet where all of this will eventually take the Panthers, but for the first time in a long time, Carolina doesn’t seem to be looking for another quick fix.

It finally looks like they’re building something.