The Carolina Panthers biggest offseason puzzle piece for 2026? The offensive line.
The Panthers likely won't repeat a mistake from the past when it comes to the OL. The big question is how will they go about it?
It’s no secret that the Carolina Panthers have multiple needs on the defensive side of the football.
However, the biggest question they’ll navigate over the coming weeks is how to retool the offensive line.
Left tackle Ikem Ekwonu’s ruptured patellar tendon in the playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams was unfortunate on multiple fronts.
It stunk for Ekwonu as he was in line for an extension and massive pay day as he was entering the final year of his rookie contract.
Ekwonu’s injury also added a complex variable to the Panthers offseason equation.
This isn’t the Panthers first rodeo when it comes to key offensive linemen suffering significant injuries in the final game of the season.
In their 2022 finale at New Orleans, starters Austin Corbett and Brady Christensen suffered a torn ACL and broken ankle.
That offseason, the Panthers invested minimally into the offensive line. General Manager Scott Fitterer’s only offseason additions to that group were Justin McCray (free agency) and guard Chandler Zavala via the fourth round of the draft.
Even for the most optimistic person, expecting both Corbett and Christensen to be ready by September was a tall ask given the severity of the injuries.
That decision - along with many others - turned out to be disastrous and led to Fitterer’s dismissal.
Even before Ekwonu’s injury, Dan Morgan was likely going to address the group in some form given current personnel and pending free agents.
Right tackle Taylor Moton is entering his 10th season. Starting center Cade Mays is a free agent along with Corbett, Christensen, Yosh Nijman and Jake Curhan.
Mays has been a consistent starter ever since returning to the Panthers in October 2024. Corbett and Christensen have battled injuries since that 2022 finale.
The question is which avenue will the Panthers utilize more to address their offensive line?
The Panthers rank 19th in cap space with $12,574,504 for 2026 as of February 21 per Over The Cap and have eight picks for April’s draft, with three in the top 100.
Morgan has shown he’s not afraid to spend big money in free agency. His first big moves as general manager was to pay over $100 million in guaranteed money to guards Damien Lewis and Robert Hunt to shore up the middle. Those investments have been worthwhile, even with Hunt missing most of the 2025 season.
Would Morgan want to pay a premium again to address the offensive line - especially at tackle?
The NFL Combine is this week and you can expect the Panthers - and the rest of the league - to be paying close attention to each offensive lineman prospect in attendance.
The Panthers top 100 picks currently sit at 19, 51 and 83. While it may be too early to know what teams may target in April, you can likely assume multiple offensive linemen will be taken in the top 20.
Here are the number of offensive linemen taken in the top 20 of the draft since 2022:
2025: Five
2024: Six
2023: Four
2022: Six
We’ll see how the Panthers navigate addressing the group in the coming weeks. Unlike 2023, you can guarantee that they’ll make investments into this group in 2026.