Analysis: Breaking down Carolina Panthers’ depth chart following free agency signings

The Carolina Panthers are in the midst of reshaping their depth chart under the guidance of first-year general manager Dan Morgan.

The Panthers were busy during the first two weeks of free agency, as Morgan signed 11 veteran players and added a playmaking wide receiver through a shrewd trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Now, with the NFL Draft only a few weeks away, the Panthers have a reworked talent base to build around with incoming prospects. Carolina still has several needs on the roster, but their depth chart looks considerably stronger in some areas following a splurge on offensive line and defensive talent.

Here is a breakdown of the Panthers’ projected depth chart following the big free-agency rush:

Quarterback

The starter: Bryce Young

The backup: Andy Dalton

The Panthers have a ton invested in Young, last year’s first overall pick, and they have doubled down on that investment by paying a pair of veteran guards a ton of cash to protect him.

Young’s surrounding cast was a disaster last season, and Morgan has gone about fixing that problem by making logical additions to the offensive line and trading for wideout Diontae Johnson.

Young will need to step up his performance with a better supporting group around him. Dalton, the journeyman backup, will continue to be a guiding force behind the scenes for Young.

Running back

The starter: Chuba Hubbard

The backups: Miles Sanders, Raheem Blackshear, Tarik Cohen, Mike Boone, Spencer Brown

Canales promises to be stubborn when it comes to running the football. He’s also already anointed Hubbard as his current starter in the backfield.

Hubbard had a strong third season in Carolina in 2023. He will get a chance to earn a big-money contract — by running back standards — if he can put up a career year in his fourth different offense in four years.

Sanders is coming off a brutal first year in Charlotte, and he will need to bounce back in a big way to earn playing time, despite his lofty guaranteed salary. Blackshear will likely continue to handle kick return duties, but he could face competition from Cohen, whose comeback story is worth monitoring.

Running back feels like a position where the Panthers will invest a Day 3 pick in a young prospect. The Panthers are lacking in the power department at the position.

Wide receiver

The starters: Diontae Johnson, Jonathan Mingo, Adam Thielen (slot)

The backups: Ihmir Smith-Marsette, David Moore, Terrace Marshall, Cam Sims, Michael Strachan, Jalen Camp

Johnson, acquired for cornerback Donte Jackson and a late-round pick swap, was an immediate upgrade on the outside at wide receiver. Johnson had his locker room struggles in Pittsburgh, but he could be just what the Panthers need at the top outside receiver spot, as he is a terrific route runner with above-average speed. The Panthers were lacking in both attributes last season.

Thielen surpassed 100 catches and 1,000 receiving yards for the second time in his career last year. He is a dependable slot receiver who should benefit from Johnson’s presence on the outside. The Panthers are also hoping that Mingo, last year’s second-round pick, improves with Johnson in the lineup. The 2024 season is going to be a huge one for Mingo, who failed to haul in a touchdown pass as a rookie.

Smith-Marsette — the team’s primary punt returner — is probably the only other wideout who should be penciled into 53-man roster projections. Moore was signed because he’s familiar with the staff, but he’s not guarantee a spot. Marshall, Sims, Strachan and Camp will likely be upgraded in the draft, perhaps by multiple prospects.

The Panthers are likely to take at least one wide receiver on Day 2 of the draft.

Tight end

The starter: Tommy Tremble

The backups: Ian Thomas, Stephen Sullivan, Jordan Matthews, Chris Pierce

The Panthers quickly rid themselves of Hayden Hurst at the start of the new league year, despite the massive dead money penalty that came with his release. The team has yet to replace Hurst in the lineup, but Morgan was quick to praise Tremble in Indianapolis during the NFL Scouting Combine.

Tremble is likely to lead the position group, barring a high pick being spent on a tight end during draft weekend. Tremble showed some legitimate growth as a playmaker last year, and he is one of the better blocking tight ends on the team.

Thomas, who took another pay cut this offseason, is likely to be a fixture of two-tight end sets this season, while Sullivan will be more of the flash player at the position. Matthews and Pierce will likely compete with an incoming rookie to force the Panthers to keep four tight ends.

Offensive line

The starters: Ikem Ekwonu (LT), Damien Lewis (LG), Austin Corbett (C), Robert Hunt (RG), Taylor Moton (RT)

The backups: Yosh Nijman, Brady Christensen, Cade Mays, Nash Jensen, Chandler Zavala, JD DiRenzo, Ricky Lee, Ilm Manning, Badara Traore

The Panthers made it a priority to upgrade the two guard spots following the disastrous injury turnstile at both positions last season. They paid huge sums to land Lewis and Hunt, and the hope is that the new linemen will be able to give Young time to step up in the pocket.

With Lewis and Hunt on board, Corbett, the former starting right guard, is expected to shift to center. Corbett is considered an athletic upgrade over former starter Bradley Bozeman. He is also considered to be among the smartest players on the squad. Corbett is coming off his second knee surgery in as many years, so the move to center will probably be a work-in-progress throughout the offseason.

Ekwonu and Moton will continue to man the tackle spots. They’ll be backed up by the presence of Nijman, who signed an incentive-laden deal to be the swing tackle for the foreseeable future. If Moton or Ekwonu falter this season, Nijman has the experience and athleticism — and the contract — to replace either of them this year and beyond.

Christensen, the former starting left guard, has the versatility to back up four positions. That versatility should keep him active on game days, barring an unexpected trade.

Mays, Jensen, Lee, DiRenzo, Manning and Traore are the youngsters competing for depth spots, but they are likely to be joined by a rookie draft pick or two this summer.

Defensive line

The starters: Derrick Brown, Shy Tuttle, A’Shawn Robinson

The backups: LaBryan Ray, Nick Thurman, Raequan Williams

Robinson was a major free-agent addition for the trenches. The big-bodied lineman is known for his ability to stop the run, which was an attribute desperately needed for a defensive front that got regularly pushed around last season.

Brown was the team’s best player last season. Coming off his first Pro Bowl, Brown is expected to lead the defense as a captain and franchise stalwart. He is likely to sign a long-term contract extension in short order.

Tuttle returns to his nose tackle role, where he had an up-and-down first year in Carolina. He will likely improve with the presence of Robinson, who serves as a massive body to push runners inside.

Ray and Thurman surprised with solid performances last season. They’ll compete with Williams and other eventual add-ons for roster spots.

Inside linebacker

The starters: Shaq Thompson, Josey Jewell

The backups: Chandler Wooten, Claudin Cherelus

With Frankie Luvu heading to Washington, the Panthers needed a veteran replacement at one of the inside linebacker spots. Jewell is a longtime starter who has experience with defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero and linebackers coach Peter Hansen. He should be able to hit the ground running given his experience within the system.

Thompson is coming off a major leg injury, but Morgan has expressed confidence he can return to form in the middle. The Panthers are likely to get some long-term insurance for Thompson in the draft, but for now, the longtime captain is expected to make the calls for the defense this season.

Wooten and Cherelus have flashed on special teams and are likely to get a leg up in most competition because of their work in the third phase. However, a mid-round rookie being added to the group feels like a foregone conclusion at this point.

Edge rusher

The starters: D.J. Wonnum, D.J. Johnson

The backups: K’Lavon Chaisson, Eku Leota, Amare Barno, Luiji Vilain

This group is rough.

The Panthers traded away two-time Pro Bowl pass rusher Brian Burns at the start of free agency, and Yetur Gross-Matos exited shortly after that swap, leaving the position group looking as grim as it gets.

The Panthers signed Wonnum and Chaisson to ease the pain, but the need at the position is still quite glaring. The Panthers hosted Jadeveon Clowney on a visit earlier this month, but he is taking his time during his annual stroll around the market. Signing Clowney would greatly improve the unit’s outlook.

Johnson, last year’s third-round pick, had a forgettable rookie year. If he wasn’t a third-round pick, it’d be easy to put him in the category of players on the outside looking in for roster spots. That said, given his pedigree, he should get every chance to shine this offseason. Still, look for the Panthers to have a plan in the draft to upgrade over him in the lineup.

Leota, Barno and Vilain were all here last year, but none of them have been particularly successful in the pass rush department.

Cornerback

The starters: Jaycee Horn, Dane Jackson, Troy Hill (nickel)

The backups: Dicaprio Bootle, D’Shawn Jamison, Lamar Jackson, A.J. Parker

Horn’s fifth-year option looms large as the Panthers have to make a decision on the oft-injured cornerback’s future by May.

Horn will return to the defense as the top player at his position, but he is a concern from a durability standpoint. When Horn is healthy, he’s a top-10 cornerback in the NFL. However, his status is put into question too often to trust him to be in the lineup.

The Panthers added Dane Jackson to the lineup in free agency. Dane Jackson was a favorite of Morgan’s in Buffalo, and he should be able to fill in the spot left by Donte Jackson following the trade with the Steelers. Hill will also return as the team’s primary nickel corner after posting a solid campaign last season in Charlotte.

Bootle was a special teams standout last season before suffering a season-ending injury. He also flashed potential on defense. Bootle, as of now, is probably the team’s fourth corner on the depth chart. That said, look for the Panthers to attack the position in the draft or later in free agency to make sure they have some more options beyond Jamison, Parker and Lamar Jackson.

Safety

The starters: Xavier Woods, Jordan Fuller

The backups: Nick Scott, Jammie Robinson, Alex Cook

Woods will continue to lead the safety group for a third season in Carolina. The veteran defensive back had an underrated performance in the secondary last year, and the expectation is that he will benefit from having a more athletic partner at the position this year.

Fuller, a former Los Angeles Rams defender, is expected to be the youthful partner opposite Woods. Fuller, who has a history with Evero, will take the place of Vonn Bell, who was unceremoniously released this month. Fuller and Woods will be used interchangeably in the defensive backfield, and Fuller’s experience with Evero should help him adapt quickly to the defense.

Scott was added Friday to provide depth on defense and special teams. Like Fuller, Scott played under Evero in LA, and he should be able to pick up the defense relatively quickly for a new recruit.

Cook got some legitimate playing time last season, and he flashed at times during his fill-in snaps. Robinson, last year’s fifth round pick, could see an uptick in playing time in his second season. Both Cook and Robinson are likely to be special teams mainstays as well.

Specialists

The starters: Johnny Hekker (P), Eddy Piñeiro (K), JJ Jansen (LS)

Jansen was re-signed earlier this month to make sure this trio stayed in place. Hekker is one of the best punters in the league, while Piñeiro has been relatively steady for Carolina when healthy.

The only shot of competition here might be at kicker just to preserve Piñeiro’s leg for when it counts the most.