Heading into the now padded practices, the Carolina Panthers were not being chosen to lead in any categories for the upcoming NFL season, except maybe chances to get a top 5 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft again, but the tides seem to be shifting. Since the team has come into the camp, we have seen QB Bryce Young throw dimes, CB Jaycee Horn locking down WRs, WR Tetairoa McMillan snagging everything, and even the fabled return of DE Derrick Brown. The pieces seem to be coming together for this young squad led by HC Dave Canales, OC Brad Idzik, DC Ejiro Evero, and GM Dan Morgan – this team seems one built to improve upon the 2024 roster, while also maintaining the integrity of the roster.
There are, however, three places where the roster seems to be a bit of a concern to me and others in the fandom/media: the offensive line, the safety position (mainly the FS), as well as the linebacking room/depth. With the linebacker room being the most apparent issue, we can start there.
Linebackers
The LB room in 2025 does not remind anyone of the days of old, rather a room of mostly unproven linebackers attempting to become the “Luke” of this team. LB Christian Rozeboom is the outlier, as the LB previously with the Chiefs and Rams, with his 2024 performance in LA being one that had him with 135 total tackles, an INT, and a sack on the year. Past Rozeboom, the room becomes a list of guys who haven’t truly taken that “next step”, while others are just truly unproven at the NFL level. From Claudin Cherelus to Jon Rhattigan, you have two veterans who have a combined 72 total tackles over a combined 5 seasons. Cherelus is relatively new to the NFL, but at 26, along with Rhattigan, they have a limited amount of time to improve before the younger players come a knockin’.
Those younger players are UDFA Tuasivi Nomura, UDFA Jacoby Windmon, and UDFA Bam Martin-Scott, players who are ready to challenge the LB2 and LB3 in Cherelus and Rhattigan. Nomura comes to the team in 2025 following the draft, signing as an undrafted free agent alongside Martin-Scott, giving the room much-needed depth, while returning LB Jacoby Windmon hopes to improve on his performance last year with the team.
In training camp, the LB room has gotten some shoutouts from Carolina beat reporters like Gabe McDonald of Charlotte Sports Live, posting the results of many 11 on 11 drills. On July 28th, he posted about a drive where, before Bryce was able to make a short completion to rookie TE Mitchell Evans, he noted “close to being a sack by Wallace,” something we knew he had in the tank but didn’t get the chance to see during his rookie campaign. Now at the helm of the room with Rozeboom, Wallace is hoping to prove doubters wrong during a time of immense need at the legendary position.
Offensive Line
The offensive line was one of the strengths of the Carolina Panthers during the 2024 season, even going as far as to see LT Ikem Ekwonu being rated in the top 10 of PFF’s passing grades for offensive tackles. The two guards, Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis, are a massive strength, and even the right tackle, Taylor Moton, is graded well, so why discuss the offensive line? As we all know, the NFL is commonly mocked by being called “Not For Long,” something that absolutely applies to the offensive line position in particular. In 2024, the Carolina Panthers used 14 different offensive lineman, something that will continue again this year, with the center position being one that is massively depleted as of now. The current depth chart, for example, lists 14 offensive linemen, but once we get past the first string, the flock is indeed thin.
With no way to truly remedy this situation at the present time, I do believe that this will be a major focus of the offensive scheme by HC Dave Canales, one that he is going to build every single day. The scheme is going to be one that, of course, follows Dave’s motto of running behind the guards, but the caveat I believe will be to truly improve the speed at which the ball is coming out of QB Bryce’s hands. Canales last year showed us through his play calling that he at times wanted to remove the ball from Bryce’s hand and favor the run game, something that was taught to him by HC of the now Las Vegas Raiders in Pete Carroll. “The run game is an extension of the defense,” an age-old way of ensuring that opposing QBs cannot shell you all game, and something that helped the 2024 Panthers turn some games into wins. This offensive line problem is going to be one to watch for sure, as the position group is stellar when healthy, but can we always bet on a truly “healthy” year?
Safety
When looking at this position group, you’ll see names that you might love, some you might not know, and one you might be like “Why?,” but no matter what way you slice it, it seems Canales might be okay with its current construction. SS Tre’von Moehrig, Lathan Ransom, Isaac Gifford, Trevian Thomas, Demani Richardson, Jack Henderson, and Nick Scott are the names which are involved in the group, but no one seems happy with any of these names at free safety. Most of the Panthers community has been in an uproar since the free agents desired are being scooped up by other teams, such as Julian Blackmon signing with NFC South rival New Orleans Saints.
Canales said previously he was happy with the room so far, and with limited free agents available to improve on the room, the decision seems clear. While Nick Scott is there, I believe the best possible choice is to allow Demani Richardson to challenge Scott for the starting role, rather than attempting to insert Gifford or Henderson into the lineup as a rookie. If Demani cannot take that role from Scott, then the positions stand, unless the HC can convince the GM to make a splash trade/signing. I do love the idea of Poyer becoming a Panther to mentor Demani/Gifford/Henderson, but I also know that Scott there complicates the situation just a tiny bit.
Final Thoughts
With all those points in mind, I want to push the question to you. Do you think that the Carolina Panthers of 2025 can overcome these perceived pitfalls, or do you think that they’re unavoidable? I think this team looks different all of a sudden – even as a Canales-Stan, I didn’t see the turnaround happening. I thought that Canales would struggle to get a great draft class with Morgan at the helm, but it seems he’s been able to do the impossible. With that in mind, I’ll say the team is one that I’m excited to see play, and I hope we win every game, but if you’re asking me, I think this team is poised for some interesting conversations come the trade deadline.
