Five Carolina Panthers Entering Make-or-Break Season in 2026

Every year, there is a batch of players who face uncertainty going into the offseason. There's also a cluster who will most certainly remain with the team but have to prove they deserve a spot in the organization for years to come.

Today, we're talking about those guys. Here are my five Panthers (really four, you'll see why) who are entering a make-or-break year in Carolina.

RB Jonathan Brooks

Brooks' injury history is extremely concerning. He suffered a torn ACL in his final year at Texas and then re-tore the same ACL during his rookie year with the Panthers, causing him to miss all of the 2025 campaign. Carolina has only seen him healthy for three games in two seasons, so they have no idea what they have in him. If, for whatever reason, he's unable to stay on the field in 2026 or looks like a completely different player, it could be his last season in the Queen City.

WR Xavier Legette

Legette still has two years remaining on his contract, so the Panthers can take the patient route with him if his struggles continue next fall. Then again, he could be someone they try to trade next offseason for a late-round pick, which would give Carolina at least something for him. The best way for X to avoid this? Become a more reliable target and do more with the ball after the catch.

LT Ikem Ekwonu

I hate to even put Ekwonu on this list because of the injury. To be honest, it's not really a make-or-break year for him because a lot of it is out of his control at this point, considering he's likely to miss most, if not all, of next season with the ruptured patellar tendon. However, how he handles himself in the recovery process, stays engaged with the team, and so forth will go a long way in determining what the Panthers decide to do.

EDGE Patrick Jones II

Jones was expected to help the Panthers' pass rush in a big way this season, coming off a career year in Minnesota, where he registered seven sacks. A lower back injury cut his season short, playing in just four games on the year. Not only does he need to stay healthy, but he's got to put up some rock-solid production for the Panthers to have any interest in bringing him back on a new contract.

DL Tershawn Wharton

Wharton was dreadful against the run this season and didn't do enough as a pass rusher to make up for it. The Panthers expected him to be a difference-maker, hence the reason why they awarded him a three-year, $45 million contract. He has a potential out in his current deal after the 2026 campaign, so if Carolina is unhappy with where things are after next season, they could release him for a dead cap hit of $4.8M.

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