Ranking the Panthers' biggest roster needs going into the 2026 preseason

Just a couple of weeks ago, the Carolina Panthers ' roster looked to be in much better shape than it is now. Unfortunately, the injury bug has shown up in force at training camp—with edge rusher Nic Scourton and wide receiver Chris Brazzell II suffering season-ending knee injuries and several other players getting carted off from practice with lesser issues.

As the preseason begins tonight , the Panthers are far from full strength and could use reinforcements at several key positions.

Let's see where they stand in regards to their greatest roster needs going into exhibition play, starting with the premium positions.

1. Edge

Losing Scourton for the season was the biggest blow—as it hurt an already thin edge rotation that now consists of Jaelan Phillips at the top, followed by a whole lot of question marks.

If Pat Jones II can stay healthy and Princely Umanmielen takes a huge step forward in his second year, the unit would benefit a lot. Realistically, however, Carolina's front office may have to bring in free-agent help at this spot.

Jadeveon Clowney is no longer available , but some of the best names still out there include Joey Bosa, Leonard Floyd and Von Miller.

2. Offensive tackle

With left tackle Ikem Ekwonu and right tackle Taylor Moton both out with different setbacks, the Panthers' depth at offensive tackle has taken a couple of serious hits. Veteran Rasheed Walker and 2026 first-round pick Monroe Freeling should be reliable replacements, but the Panthers desperately need some depth behind them.

Unfortunately, the list of available offensive tackles at this late juncture is pretty sparse. All the Panthers can do here is pray that Walker and Freeling can stay healthy until Ekwonu and Moton can return.

3. Wide receiver

Carolina was never particularly deep at wide receiver, and losing Brazzell for the year was another significant body shot. The No. 3 role will now come down to a battle between Xavier Legette and David Moore, which is a pretty sad state of affairs.

With Deebo Samuel (San Francisco) and Stefon Diggs (Washington) coming off the free-agent board in recent days, the team's options at this position are dwindling fast.

4. Tight end

Tight end was arguably the team's weakest unit before the injuries at more important positions started piling up, and Ja'Tavion Sanders going down with an ankle issue earlier this week didn't help matters.

Starter Tommy Tremble is a strong blocker, but there are exactly zero proven receiving threats at this position currently on the roster.

5. Linebacker

Signing Pro Bowler Devin Lloyd gives defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero the centerpiece he's been missing and radically improves the second level. However, pairing Trevin Wallace with him is a bit like making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with paste in place of the jelly. The rest of the team's depth at linebacker is suspect, as well.

Future Hall of Famer Bobby Wagner remains a free agent for some reason, and would be a God-send at this point for a very weak room.

6. Safety

The Panthers have a similar dynamic going on at safety. While Tre'Von Moehrig isn't as good as Lloyd at linebacker, he is at least a solid starter.

Unfortunately, Nick Scott is once again starting next to him—and the only safety move the Panthers made this offseason was using a Day 3 pick on Zakee Wheatley. Unless he's ready to hit the ground running as a rookie, this could be a huge weakness on the back end of their defense.

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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Ranking the Panthers' biggest roster needs going into the 2026 preseason

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