Carolina Panthers Urged to Draft Auburn Prospect to Replace Lost Free Agent

Free agency has been a roaring success overall for the Carolina Panthers, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t any losses, losses that hurt Carolina in crucial positions. The biggest loss the Panthers faced was the departure of center Cade Mays, who left Carolina to join the Detroit Lions.

Mays was heavily projected to leave Carolina before free agency even started, and he ended up getting the big contract he wanted. Mays signed a 3-year, $25 million deal, with $14 million guaranteed.

When the Panthers lost Mays, GM Dan Morgan acted quickly, finding a short-term option with experience in high-leverage games by signing veteran center Luke Fortner away from the division rival New Orleans Saints.

The Panthers have agreed to terms with former Saints center Luke Fortner.

In the 2025 Fortner allowed 3 sacks and recorded 11 pressures over 678 snaps. After taking over as a starter, he allowed only 9 pressures in 10 games, earning a 72.5 pass-blocking grade. pic.twitter.com/vW51HP8jnX
— Carolina Blitz (@KeepBlitzin) March 10, 2026

Fortner could prove himself this season as a long-term option, but as of right now, it feels like this is a low-cost, safe signing for Carolina, purely bringing in Fortner cause of the dire need at center combined with his experience and reliability.

NFL Insider Names A Long-Term Replacement In the Draft.

Connor Lew against Texas A&M — Sep 27, 2025; College Station, Texas, USA; Auburn Tigers offensive lineman Connor Lew (75) sets the ball against the Texas A&M Aggies at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Fox Sports’ Ben Arthur released his “Biggest Need for Every NFC Team After Early Free Agency” list on Friday and felt that the Panthers still have to find another center despite signing Luke Fortner. The long-term replacement that’s being suggested is former Auburn center Connor Lew.

Lew has a ton of starting experience in college, being a three-year starter for the Tigers. In Lew’s 18 career starts, he’s given up 15 pressures and just one sack. Lew moves well laterally and is still very young despite having so much SEC starting experience. Lew is still only 20 years old.

Very good W1 performance from Connor Lew. OC1 seems uncontested heading into the year pic.twitter.com/dYsv5I6ya4
— James Foster (@NoFlagsFilm) August 30, 2025

Another positive is that the Panthers wouldn’t have to use the 19th pick on Connor Lew. Lew is projected to be a 2nd or 3rd round pick in this year’s draft. Carolina can still go target the best player available on the board, or target needs like more OL help, a safety, and maybe a certain tight end.

One Risk Behind Connor Lew

Connor Lew at NFL Combin — Feb 28, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Auburn offensive lineman Connor Lew (OL32) speaks to members of the media during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images | Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

While the positives are there, and it makes sense as a potential 2nd or 3rd round pick, there is one thing to be cautious of, and that’s Lew’s recent injury history. Lew started the first seven games of the 2025 season before tearing his ACL and missing the rest of the season.

Lew should be ready to go for the regular season after being drafted, but drafting a player who will be less than a year removed from an ACL tear when the NFL season starts can be a huge risk, especially for the Panthers, who would be taking him to be Bryce Young's long-term center.