Panthers’ Costly Offensive Line Must Live Up to Massive Investment

The Panthers have spent an exorbitant amount on the offensive line.

Rookie Carolina Panthers tackle Monroe Freeling (57) with his fellow linemen during the first day | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There are two ways to build around a quarterback. They either need a dominant offensive line or really good weapons. Some teams try to do both, like the Detroit Lions. The Carolina Panthers, however, fall into the former category.

They've given Young just two legitimate weapons on offense and spent the rest on the offensive line. The team feels that he can succeed without star-caliber weapons as long as he has time to find his targets.

In doing so, they've spent a ridiculous amount on the offensive line before Young's salary jumps with a potential extension next offseason. It has to work out, otherwise, the Panthers are in big trouble.

Panthers' expensive offensive line must live up to bill

Carolina Panthers tackle Monroe Freeling (57), tackle Stone Forsythe (73) and offensive tackle Taylor Moton | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Among all NFL teams, the Panthers have invested the second-most resources in the offensive line. Only the Philadelphia Eagles, unsurprisingly, have spent more on that unit. Carolina is at $102.3 million in the offensive trenches.

Looking at each teams adjusted offensive line spending for 2026 (adjusted means any rookie players APY is valued at expected performance from draft slot)https://t.co/JIVw5p1RfO pic.twitter.com/Acf0A5iUzc

— Jason_OTC (@Jason_OTC) July 14, 2026

This is adjusted for rookies, too. So the fact that the Panthers spent a first-round pick on Monroe Freeling and a fifth-round pick on Sam Hecht factors in. It's based on their expected value from the draft slot, so Freeling is expensive and Hecht is not.

Freeling and Hecht are on rookie deals, while Luke Fortner and Rasheed Walker are on cheap, one-year contracts. The money is really mostly being tied up with Taylor Moton (deservedly so), Damien Lewis, and Robert Hunt.

However it works, the Panthers have spent a ton up front. Their goal is simple: give Bryce Young a good defense and a good offensive line and let him make the most of his opportunities. It's a risk, but it's a calculated one.

Throughout his NFL career, Young has never had the weapons his counterparts have. Tetairoa McMillan is very good, and Jalen Coker has rounded into a legitimate WR2 in the NFL. Otherwise, it's slim pickings.

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) looks for his receiver during the first day | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

That is two skill-position players out of a possible 12 or 13 on the roster (seven wide receivers, three tight ends, and two or three running backs). Two players are quite good, and the rest are mostly not.

That's a lot to put on the shoulders of a quarterback who, entering year four, some are not convinced he's an NFL-caliber starter. The Panthers are asking a lot of him, and they've decided that the best way to help him is by protecting him.

It's not a bad bet. 2023 was a learning point for this franchise. They learned that Young can't carry bad weapons and a bad offensive line. In fact, quite the opposite. They needed to fix one of those groups and turn them into a real positive.

Given how bad Young was under pressure and how little time he had to throw, it's no surprise the front office honed in on the offensive line. But it's still a bet that Young can survive mediocre weapons, and given the investment made in the offensive line, the loss will be crushing if the cards don't flip Carolina's way.