The Carolina Panthers are gearing up for OTAs, which will offer the first glimpse of the 2026 roster that could shape the franchise's future.
While the starting lineup is far from settled during these parts of the offseason, the excitement is only building for this group under head coach Dave Canales and general manager Dan Morgan, the duo responsible for the team's ascension.
As with any offseason program, there are always intriguing storylines to watch, especially this offseason for the Panthers. OTAs light the match, which is why it is a great time to look at three position battles for fans to monitor closely.
Carolina Panthers position battles fans should watch closely at OTAs
Monroe Freeling vs. Rasheed Walker - Left tackle
This is the most critical position battle of the summer.
Again, nothing will be decided on a Week 1 starter, but this will be the first time we get to see the Panthers' new pair of left tackles on the practice field together this offseason. Monroe Freeling will get plenty of first-team repetitions along with Rasheed Walker, who signed a one-year, $4 million deal after misreading the market.
The biggest question is where Ikem Ekwonu fits into the equation when —or if — he makes his return to the field this season. The Panthers did well to secure stability of sorts on the blindside. They are now hoping to get good returns on the respective investments.
Nick Scott vs. Zakee Wheatley vs. Isaiah Simmons - Free safety
Some have said that Nick Scott is the shoo-in starter at free safety, and I'm not all the way there yet. Objectively speaking, it would make sense to keep him as such, but rookie Zakee Wheatley and veteran Isaiah Simmons could make some noise starting in OTAs.
I've been high on Wheatley, and he can be a quality starter in the NFL. He could surprise people in OTAs and training camp, though so could Simmons, who the Panthers seem to be all-in on making him a primary safety instead of attempting to move him around the defense.
Buckle up for an underrated position battle on defense.
Tommy Tremble vs. Mitchell Evans vs. Ja'Tavion Sanders - Tight end
I remain skeptical of this tight end group as a whole, but it might be better to let the people in charge of these players get to work on developing them. All three have the talent to be good players. However, we've been saying that about Tommy Tremble for the last six years. When will it finally be his time to shine?
Ja'Tavion Sanders and Mitchell Evans are in contention for playing time and impact contributions. Which one of these players will step up to the plate and make plays in both phases when it matters most? This may be Tremble's time, but the young guns have a case as well.
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