After stacking their depth chart with veteran talent in free agency, the Panthers are preparing to build for the future in April’s NFL Draft.
Naturally, Panthers fans are curious about how they’ll attack the annual selection process. So, The Charlotte Observer has brought back the Panthers mailbag to answer their inquiries.
Here are some standout questions from social media:
Panthers mailbag: Flexibility in first round
Darivanov on X asks: What do you think is in play for pick 19? Is it truly BPA (best player available)?
The Panthers’ free-agent exploits have given them considerable flexibility in April’s draft. They don’t need to force a pick at any position in the first three rounds or later. That means that they can think long term with selections, addressing positions that might not be immediate needs in 2026.
That outlook also sets them up nicely to potentially move up and down the board with trades. If they see a valuable player falling, they can be aggressive and trade up, knowing that they have a roster with solid depth entering the offseason program. They could also move down and pick up draft capital for future rounds or future years.
As far as the popular “best available player” mantra goes, the ideology is subjective. One team’s best available player might not be a slam-dunk for the rest of the league. But yes, if the Panthers want the top guy remaining on their draft board at No. 19, they can pounce.
Ideally, that prospect would play one of the six universal premium positions: quarterback, offensive tackle, wide receiver, defensive tackle, defensive end/outside linebacker or cornerback.
Since Bryce Young will be getting his fifth-year option picked up, selecting a quarterback would be a long shot. But any of the other five would be logical value if available.
Time running out for Xavier Legette?
Charlie on BlueSky asks: What are the odds we’ve seen the last of Xavier Legette in a Panthers uniform?
The Panthers aren’t in a rush to rid themselves of Legette. But they have set themselves up to a point where trading him wouldn’t be a hindrance to their depth chart.
The Panthers signed John Metchie III during the first week of free agency. They then re-signed veteran David Moore and will also retain Jalen Coker and Brycen Tremayne as exclusive-rights free agents. Reigning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, Tetairoa McMillan, and Jimmy Horn Jr. are also ready to take steps forward in their respective developments.
If the Panthers decide to draft a wide receiver early for the third consecutive offseason, Legette could become expendable. That move could then lead to a Legette trade during or after the draft.
GM Dan Morgan has done quite well with trading away wide receivers in the past. If Legette is put on the block, Morgan should be able to squeeze some value out of a swap. But a few things probably need to happen first.
Isaiah Simmons’ Carolina ascension
Alex on BlueSky asks: Does Isaiah Simmons have a shot at a starting safety spot, or should we think of him as a special teams ace?
There’s a lot of fan intrigue surrounding Simmons. Despite being re-signed to a low-cost, one-year deal in free agency, Simmons could have an opportunity for a bigger role in the defense in his second season in Carolina.
The Panthers worked Simmons exclusively at safety in practice during his first campaign. And while he served as a key cog on special teams, there’s reason to believe that the team would like to explore his upside on defense.
Depending on what the Panthers do in the draft, Simmons could compete for a role in the team’s big nickel package. In theory, he could free up Tre’von Moehrig and Lathan Ransom to move around the secondary.
Simmons would ideally play within the tackle box on early downs in the package. If he can play well in that role in the preseason, maybe he’s got a shot at a primary gig.
Only time will tell.
QB3: Who could it be?
Mark on X asks: What does a third QB look like in Carolina? Is it a Bryce (Young) clone? Is it the opposite? Whichever QB (Dave) Canales selects will peel back a layer on what his prototype is.
After trading away longtime backup quarterback Andy Dalton last week, it’s fair wonder if the Panthers will select a third quarterback in the draft.
While Kenny Pickett is positioned to back up Young in 2026, he’s only signed to a one-year deal, and it could be argued that the Panthers should look to develop a cheaper option for the long haul. Morgan has brought up double-dipping at the position this offseason, and the read here is that it’s a legitimate possibility.
As far as the profile goes, a Young clone probably isn’t in the cards. That said, it’s fair to anticipate that the team would want someone who can simulate Young’s athleticism on designed rollouts and scrambling opportunities. Pickett, obviously, is capable of that aspect of Young’s game, and that’s part of the reason they targeted him in free agency. Accuracy and timing are also really important to both Canales and offensive coordinator Brad Idzik, with rhythm and vision being driving factors for the position.
If the Panthers wait until the later rounds, Illinois QB Luke Altmyer might make sense. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound quarterback completed at least 60.8% of his passes in all three of his years as a starter with the program. He also had TD-to-INT ratios of 22-to-5 (2025) and 22-to-6 (2024) during his final two seasons. Altmyer also ran a 4.72-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, which is a pretty strong time for a pocket-oriented QB. Pickett ran a 4.73-second 40 in 2022, for instance.
Penn State’s Drew Allar is another passer that might have appeal as a long-term project. He’s more of the Dalton-style of QB. At 6-foot-5 and 228 pounds, he’s considerably larger than Young and even Pickett (6-3, 217 lbs.). He sustained a season-ending ankle injury during his final year with the Nittany Lions, but the Panthers might be willing to overlook that ailment for a No. 3 quarterback who isn’t likely to play as a rookie anyway. Allar’s junior season was terrific, as he threw for 3,327 yards, 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions on 66.5% completion percentage. Prior to the ankle injury, Allar also showed off considerable mobility during his college career, producing 12 rushing scores during his four campaigns. He also rarely took sacks, with just 43 surrendered during his college career.
Canales hasn’t really worked with a true developmental QB for quite some time. He inherited Kyle Trask in Tampa Bay, and that pairing didn’t amount to much, as Baker Mayfield beat Trask out for the starting job in 2022, and went off to the races on a redemption arc. If Canales wants to take an opportunity to mold a QB, especially after giving up play-calling, there are going to be plenty of options late in the draft.