The Carolina Panthers have made a free-agency splash for sure, even if some believe they overpaid for Jaelan Phillips. But here is the next move they must make after signing Phillips in 2026 NFL free agency.
Without a doubt, the Panthers look far more like a contender than they did at this time last year. They’re coming off a season with a near victory in the playoffs. And there’s plenty of optimism in Carolina.
But what do the Panthers need to do next?
The Panthers need to address their LT position
It has been a spiral for the team since the final game of the 2025 season. Starter Ikem Ekwonu went down with a serious knee injury in that contest against the Rams. There is some question as to whether he will be good to go at the start of the upcoming season.
Then the Panthers got hit with this news, according to pantherswire.com.
“Carolina may have also taken another hit on Wednesday night, when swing tackle Yosh Nijman announced his retirement from the NFL,” Anthony Rizzuti wrote. “The Panthers reportedly had interest in re-signing Nijman, Ekwonu's understudy from the past two seasons.”
So the Panthers are searching. Among the options is re-signing Brady Christensen. He graded out at 72.7 overall, according to Pro Football Focus, starting only four games. A former third-round pick, at least he has some of the measurables at 6-foot-6 and 300 pounds.
The Panthers could venture back out into free agency and grab former Lions veteran Taylor Decker. That might be the best move, as Decker has started 60 games over the last four seasons. Also, he received his first Pro Bowl honor in 2024.
But the price may be too high. The Panthers have doled out a bunch of free-agent dollars. And Decker’s market value is over $42 million for two years.
Decker said things no longer felt right in Detroit, according to freep.com.
“Things change,” Decker wrote in his Instagram post. “145 games started, 3 playoff appearances, 2 division titles, a decade carrying the shield. I fully intended to do it once again, but my time as a Lion is coming to an end.
“In the weeks since notifying the team of my return, there have been numerous discussions. Many of which were a surprise to me, and we could not find common ground. Therefore, I decided to request my release.”
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This type of move would make more sense if the Panthers believe Ekwonu will miss a large chunk of the 2026 season.
What about T Rasheed Walker?
He ranks highly among remaining free agents. No. 1, in fact, according to ESPN.
“Walker's pass block win rate of 93.8% ranked 11th among 68 qualifying offensive tackles,” Matt Bowen wrote. “His technique could still improve. And he lacks a strong anchor, but he has the footwork and mobility to match the speed of edge rushers.”
This would be a long-term solution. It would certainly be beneficial. But the price tag, according to Spotrac, pushes the Panthers to the background. Walker will command somewhere in the neighborhood of $81 million over four seasons.
Of course, if the Panthers go small in this search, and Ekwonu isn’t himself in 2026, all of those defensive additions won’t help Bryce Young stay upright. And clearly Young needs premium protection if he is going to lead this team to playoff success.
The Panthers can’t rely on recent signee Stone Forsythe. He ranked No. 76 among 89 offensive tackles in 2025 with a grade of 55.2, according to Pro Football Focus. That’s not the numbers a team can endure from the left-tackle position.
And the hard numbers matter, too. Forsythe had five penalties, which is reasonably good. However, he provided an open door for sacks, allowing 11 on the season. That ranked him dead last among tackles.
The Panthers must do better than him.