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Where the Carolina Panthers Should Spend, and Where They Should Draft

Which Positions the Panthers Would be Better Suited to Target in the NFL Draft vs Free Agency
Preston Palm|
Aug 16, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales (right) talks with owner David Tepper before the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Aug 16, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales (right) talks with owner David Tepper before the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

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Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers have a lot of tough decisions to make this offseason and have to nail them to continue the momentum that began last season with the playoff berth and division title. 

Where Carolina finished in the standings was nice, but it's still an eight-win season; it's not what the Panthers aim for, even if it did grant them a playoff bid. 

The Panthers have a decent amount of cap space with the opportunity to free up more, and own all their draft picks this year, but Carolina has to be careful on which positions they target in free agency and which they target in the NFL Draft. 

Positions the Panthers Should Target Through the Draft

Keldric Faulk would be an A+ pick for the Carolina Panthers
Oklahoma Sooners quarterback John Mateer (10) is hit by Auburn Tigers defensive end Keldric Faulk (15) as he throws in the first quarter of a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Auburn Tigers at Gaylord Family Ð Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday,Sept. 20, 2025. Oklahoma won 24-17. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Edge Rusher 

This class is loaded with EDGE talent; most mock drafts through February 15th have the Panthers selecting one of the many talented edge rushers in the class. The realistic prospects vary; there’s Keldric Faulk out of Auburn, TJ Parker out of Clemson, Cashius Howell out of Texas A&M, and even more talent. 

The Panthers desperately need to find help for Nic Scourton and the rest of the pass rush, and drafting one, if not two, edge rushers early in this draft could immediately fill a dire need and keep it cost-efficient for now. 

Even if Carolina doesn’t draft an EDGE in the first round, they could find a talented one in the second round as well

Tight End

This applies in only one circumstance, but it is important enough to warrant mention in the NFL Draft needs. The Panthers are more than likely going to have the best tight end on the board still at No. 19 overall, and that’s Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq. 

Sadiq is the only first-round talent at tight end this year, and for good reason; he’s a matchup nightmare and is a great route runner for his size, also very good in run blocking.

He’d be an excellent addition to the offense and to give Bryce Young that security blanket type of target that’s reliable in third-down situations. 

Positions the Panthers should Target in Free Agency

Cade Mays needs to be resigned
Sep 21, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) celebrates with center Cade Mays (64) after scoring a touchdown in the first quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Offensive line 

Part of free agency is re-signing players to the roster, and for the Panthers, starting center Cade Mays should be near the top of their priority list. 

Mays was solid for the Panthers in 2025, and with that, the center and QB relationship is one of the most important in Football, so keeping the continuity on the line and for Bryce Young can only help moving forward. 

If Mays were to depart, the ideal replacement would be three-time Pro Bowler Tyler Lindebaum from Baltimore. He'd come with a higher price tag, but he's only allowed two sacks in the last three seasons, so it would be money well spent.

The Panthers need additional depth not only at center but also at left tackle, especially with Ikem Ekwonu potentially missing the entire 2026 season. Securing affordable depth options could be impactful.

Linebacker 

Linebacker is another major need for the Panthers. Carolina's linebacker core was terrible in coverage against tight ends and in short pass situations last year, and finding a solid coverage linebacker could significantly boost the defense overall.

If Carolina were to go all in on one position in free agency, this would be the one, with some major talent available. Devin Lloyd and Leo Chenal would both be perfect fits for Carolina. Both have shown they can handle their own, and then some, when it comes to pass coverage, especially Lloyd.

Carolina can find some of the essential needs through both the draft and free agency, but if they balance their signings between the two, their defense could become complete next season and be a threat as one of the best in the NFL.

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Preston Palm
PRESTON PALM

Preston is an experienced sports writer focusing on NFL, College Football, NBA, and MMA topics. He is a passionate Charlotte and Oklahoma sports fan and graduated from the University of Science and Arts Oklahoma in 2025 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications degree with a focus in journalism.

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