Biggest question marks for the Carolina Panthers offense going into 2026

As the 2026 offseason begins for the Carolina Panthers, what are the biggest questions for each offensive position group?

Quarterback – will there be competition for Bryce Young? General Manager Dan Morgan has stated that he wants competition at every position, and that quarterback is no different. Andy Dalton isn’t a threat to supplant Young as the starter, but it’s never a bad idea for a team to have a young quarterback developing in the wings in case the incumbent suffers a setback due to injury or doesn’t pan out as a franchise cornerstone, such as Jalen Hurts when he was drafted in Philadelphia though the Eagles already had Carson Wentz. Plus, that young backup could be a potential trade target for other teams (i.e. Tanner McKee with the Eagles).

Though the Panthers are picking up the fifth-year option on Young’s rookie contract for the 2027 season, there are still major questions about Young’s production and overall consistency. Young finished 28th in the NFL in passing yards per game (188.2), 32nd in yards per attempt (6.3) out of 36 passers with at least 200 pass attempts, tied for 16th in touchdown percentage (4.8%), tied for 11th worst INT percentage (2.3%), 27th in QBR (47.7), and tied for 29th in passer rating (87.8).

#NFL INT-Worthy & Uncatchable Throws 2025

Joe Burrow is in a tier of his own. Shedeur Sanders is too - just not the one you want.

Data charted by @FTNFantasy pic.twitter.com/xIjNrjtmuH
— SFdata9ers🏈📊 (@sfdata9ers) January 14, 2026

Wide Receiver – how patient will the team be with Xavier Legette? Late in the regular season and in the Wild Card matchup, Legette was passed on the depth chart by Jalen Coker, who was an undrafted free agent in 2024, the same year Legette was taken in the first round with the 32nd pick.

Jalen Coker with nine catches for 134 yards and a TD tonight.

Xavier Legette in the past seven games including today: 12 catches for 107 yards.
— Mike Kaye (@mike_e_kaye) January 11, 2026

Dan Morgan at his end of season press availability stated how it took Legette time to break out in college at South Carolina, and that the organization still believes in Legette. But the production simply hasn’t been there. Legette played in 15 games in 2025 and finished with 35 catches for 363 yards and three touchdowns. Having been supplanted by Coker, and 2025 6th-round pick Jimmy Horn Jr. possibly in line for an increased role, where does Legette fit into the rotation? Despite running a 4.39 40-yard dash, Legette hasn’t shown to be the deep threat that his physical attributes would suggest, and his lack of field awareness when it comes to staying in bounds on catches or lining up correctly has been evident at times. Plus, Legette often tries to make catches with his body. It’s not a question of worth ethic or want from Legette, but simply about production, and the results weren’t there.

Offensive Line – What happens at left tackle? With the unfortunate injury to starting LT Ikem Ekwonu, who suffered a torn patellar tendon in his right knee against the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card game, there’s a major hole on the blindside of Young. What makes this tricky for GM Dan Morgan is that Ekwonu is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and Morgan must determine the long-term outlook of the sixth overall pick from the 2022 NFL Draft. Does Morgan look to draft a tackle possibly with the 19th pick in the 2026 draft, or possibly look to re-sign backup swing tackle Yosh Nijman to start in place of Ekwonu while drafting a tackle in a later round to develop as a future swing tackle for the team.

Tight End – is there a game-breaker already on the roster? The trio of Tommy Tremble, J’Tavion Sanders, and Mitchell Evans combined for 75 catches, 610 yards, and 5 touchdowns. While on the aggregate those numbers are complimentary, no individual reached 30 catches or 300 yards. Sanders just finished his second season, though his year got cut short towards the end of the year after sustaining a leg injury in Week 16 against the Seahawks, and Evans was just a rookie. Head coach Dave Canales often deployed three tight end sets as a run-heavy personnel grouping. While all three tight ends are NFL players, can one of them develop into a player than can be a dynamic passing threat?

Running Back – can Jonathon Brooks be impactful? While signs are pointing to the Carolina Panthers moving on from running back Rico Dowdle after his one season in Charlotte, the question is if 2024 second-round pick Jonathon Brooks can step in to fill the void. Brooks played in only three games in 2024. His start to that season was delayed while recovering from an ACL injury while at Texas in 2023 but then re-tore the same ACL in 2024 causing him to miss all of 2025. Coming off two major knee injuries, how reliable and dependable will he be in 2026? He hasn’t had meaningful carries since 2023 with his touches being limited in 2024. The free agent running back market is deep, featuring the likes of Breece Hall, Kenneth Walker III, Travis Etienne, Javonte Williams, J.K. Dobbins, Tyler Algier, among others. Chuba Hubbard and Trevor Etienne are under contract, but does Dan Morgan get insurance in case Brooks doesn’t meet hopes and expectations.