NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
The Carolina Panthers won the NFC South and made the playoffs last season, and with that comes expectations for 2026. Entering the offseason, they needed to fill holes, and one specific area was on the defensive side of the football. Needless to say, they went out and did their best through free agency, but did they do too much and too fast?
Winning is not just about signing the best players from other teams. A winning organization also knows how to win in the NFL Draft. Now, that’s not to say that the Carolina Panthers can’t or won’t make the best decisions come April, but what transpired in free agency could also spell their downfall.
For most, they were lucky last year. Let’s remember, this was the same team that, for a spell, had lost faith in their starting QB. Their starting RB went down with an injury, and the receiver core was being led by a rookie and players no one else wanted. The team was in shambles. But then it began to click; they won enough games and found a way to win the Division and make the playoffs. Hell, truth be told, they should have upset the Los Angeles Rams in the first round, but that weak defense let them down.
That loss would call for changes on that side of the ball. But that also means that a young team like the Panthers would be inclined to do what other teams refused to do, and that was overspend on players. We see this happen every year, and this year, that trophy goes to the Panthers.
To bolster the defense, the Carolina Panthers signed LB Jaelan Phillips to a 4-year, $120M contract while also bringing in LB Devin Lloyd to a 3-year, $45M contract. Now, it’s a ton of money, and both players were considered to be the best at their position in a free agent class, but are they worth that type of money?
Lloyd is coming off a Pro Bowl season with the Jacksonville Jaguars, where in 15 games, he registered 81 tackles and 5 INTs. He’s a good tackler in open space and can stop the run, which were both areas of concern for the Panthers. He will join a young unit, but at his price, he will need to stay on the field and continue to produce. The good part is, Lloyds is just 27 years old and still has time to grow into a high-end LB.
As for Phillips, he’s the key to the defensive turnaround. After spending the majority of his career with the Miami Dolphins, he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. Phillips was set to be one of the biggest players in free agency, and that’s exactly how the Panthers treated him. Now, Phillips will be expected to do more than what was asked of him in his previous two spots. He’s expected to become the next Myles Garrett or Maxx Crosby for the Panthers.
Phillips can be disruptive in the backfield, but can he stay healthy? Since being drafted by the Dolphins in 2021, Phillips has played in 63 games while starting just 46. He has potential, but is potential worth $30M per year? In those 63 games, Phillips has a total of 28 sacks and 205 tackles. Now the lights will be shining bright on him, and he will have to anchor a defense that registered just 30 sacks last season.
For the Carolina Panthers to stay as contenders in the NFC, they will need to get the defense right. The offensive side of the ball is still a mystery, but after what transpired against the Rams in the playoffs, the defense took the bulk of the blame. The two new additions are being brought in and paid handsomely to change things. Was the money well spent, or will the Carolina Panthers fall victim to what so many other teams have in previous offseasons?
The Draft should have been a place where the Panthers could have found young talent to build the roster out. Instead, they took the approach of a team on the brink, and the truth is, the Panthers just aren’t that team at the moment. They should have stayed the course and stuck with the plan through the draft. Now, the pressure is on Phillips, Lloyd, and the front office.
While money is being spent on defense, the Panthers have yet to address the offense. The QB situation, according to them, is not the best, but Bryce Young was servicable. They do need help with receivers and lack a true go-to target at the tight end position. And then there is that glaring issue at RB. Yes, they did pay Chuba Hubbard to be that feature back, but he took a step back in 2025. With Rico Dowdle off to the Steelers, can the Panthers rely on Hubbard again for an entire season?
Spending money on defense could go either way, but maybe if they had spread that cash around a bit on the offensive side, they would be better suited for a return to the playoffs this coming season. The offseason is still young, and moves can still be made, but the Panthers forgot that it takes more than one area to keep winning.
