NFL Analyst Has Incredibly Good News for Panthers' Roster-Building

The Carolina Panthers have a lot of needs this year. Their playoff status does not accurately reflect the state of the roster. They overperformed in a bad division, so there's still a ton of work to be done.

They could use a ton of things:

Solid edge rusher, but not necessarily a superstar
Guard depth
Slot corner
Deep safety
Difference-maker at linebacker
"Bullpen" wide receiver
Tight end

That probably sounds like a lot, and it is. But ESPN's Ben Solak has good news. On all those fronts, it's a good year to have a need.

The Panthers can address a ton of holes this offseason

Edge

First things first: the Panthers need an edge rusher. They do not necessarily need a superstar like Nic Scourton. It would probably be wiser to add a solid player opposite Nic Scourton, who was good last year.

Ben Solak thinks it's a good year to need exactly that. There aren't superstar edges, but there are good ones. "If your favorite team's general manager can't find a good fit at edge rusher this offseason, tell him to take a hike," he wrote.

The free agent class is deep if not top-heavy, and there are a ton of good options in the NFL draft, too. The Panthers should consider doing both, like signing Jadeveon Clowney and drafting TJ Parker.

Guard

Realistically, the Panthers don't need a guard if they re-sign a couple of the ones they're losing to free agency. Austin Corbett, Brady Christensen, and Cade Mays are all free agents, so the Panthers need to bring back something.

Fortunately, even if they don't, it's a good year to look for an interior offensive lineman, specifically guard. The Panthers can bargain-bin shop here pretty easily.

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Carolina Panthers center Austin Corbett (63) runs on to the field | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Slot corner

The Panthers do not need an outside corner, but beyond Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson, it's bleak. The slot position was a major weakness for the Panthers in 2025.

Solak noted that it's not an ideal year for an outside corner, but there are good slot options available, most notably through the draft. The Panthers can snag one to fix that glaring problem.

Safety

The Panthers don't need a box safety, because Tre'von Moehrig fills that role. They need a deep safety, a ballhawk, someone to play center field. Moehrig was not good in coverage.

There are options for both, but free agency and the draft is mostly made up of players who excel in deep alignments. Look for the Panthers to target Nick Scott's replacement (and upgrade) this year.

Linebacker

The Panthers desperately need a linebacker. This is the year to really upgrade at that position, fortunately. The draft is very deep, and there are some really intriguing options in free agency, too.

Unfortunately, Solak noted that the best linebackers will be top-10 draft picks or thereabout, which the Panthers cannot acquire. He loves Sonny Styles, who might not fall to the Panthers. There are still quality linebacker prospects, but not the best of the best like the Panthers need.

Wide receiver

Solak said it's a good year for "bodies in the bullpen" but not for "the next elite guy." The Panthers got that with Tetairoa McMillan, so they really only need one more body in the bullpen.

Aside from Alec Pierce, Solak believes everyone is either a WR2 or WR3, including the top draft prospects. That's good news for the Panthers, who really only need a WR3.

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs (87) against the Carolina Panthers | Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tight end

The Panthers got Mitchell Evans, who is a pretty solid blocker and a decent receiver. What they need is a true weapon at the position, and that's the only thing this year's crop of tight ends really offers.

Kenyon Sadiq, Kyle Pitts, Chig Okonkwo, Isaiah Likely, David Njoku, and others fit the bill as playmakers first and blockers second, and the Panthers could potentially add any one of them.