Panthers' Remaining To-Do List is Clear and Extremely Important

The Carolina Panthers are nearing the middle point of the offseason. OTAs and minicamp have concluded, and training camp and the preseason remain before September's season opener.

Much of the offseason work, including free agency and the draft, takes place before this point. The Panthers signed and drafted several players and then got them all together for some practices. But there's still work left to do.

For the Panthers, there are three things that clearly need to be done, but they're each pretty important.

The Panthers have three things left on the to-do list

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette (17) reaches for the catch during the first day of mini camp | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Bleacher Report analyst Brent Sobleski broke down the three things still facing the Panthers as training camp looms around the corner, and it's hard to find three more pressing issues right now. They are:

Solve the left tackle position
Make Xavier Legette a better player or move on
Work Jonathon Brooks up to NFL speed

These could arguably be in that order for their importance, but they're all crucial to the 2026 season. Up first, the tackle issue. This is ultimately a good problem to have, but the Panthers need to make the right decision.

As of now, Rasheed Walker and Monroe Freeling, the first-round pick, are duking it out on the left side. But Ikem Ekwonu looms. The incumbent is going to miss at least half the season, but coaches have raved about his recovery. He very well could factor in at some point.

From his perspective, getting healthy enough to play but not being able to in his fifth-year option season would be brutal. For the Panthers, it's not ideal, either. They'll decide between Freeling and Walker (Walker leads as of now), but when Ekwonu is back, it becomes a bit of a cluster.

Additionally, the Panthers have to decide which of Ekwonu and Walker, if either, is worth bringing back next year. Freeling's under contract, and Taylor Moton is a free agent after next season, so they still need tackles. It's a tough decision to make on multiple fronts.

Second, the Xavier Legette problem. The wide receiver could quietly keep sliding down the depth chart, but that's not really good for anyone. If he is replaced as WR3, then he needs to be offloaded, preferably by trade.

The Panthers don't need a former first-round bust sitting at WR4 and taking up space. If he's not good enough to be a starter, then he needs to go elsewhere. He won't get targets that way, and those targets would be better served to develop Jimmy Horn Jr. or Malick Meiga, both of whom actually still have upside.

Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks (25) yells to his teammates | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Finally, the Panthers need to continue getting Jonathon Brooks up to NFL speed and involved in their rushing attack. If he's healthy and as advertised, he changes this offense. But there's work to be done to get him to that level.

Sobleski wrote, "If Legette doesn't show marked improvement during training camp, the Panthers should be ready to move on. Whereas, Jonathon Brooks deserves another chance after back-to-back ACL tears in his right knee. A healthy Brooks can still give the Panthers an excellent one-two punch alongside Chuba Hubbard."

They've been patient with him thus far, but the clock is ticking. If he's going to be what we all hope for and what the Panthers need, it's going to be because they got him to that level in training camp and the preseason. And that could be vital for the Panthers' success on offense this year.

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