The Carolina Panthers were dealt a significant blow with the news that Tershawn Wharton is set for an extended spell on the sidelines. A neck complication requiring surgery means the defensive lineman is on the shelf until further notice, and general manager Dan Morgan must plan contingencies.
And the next move couldn't be clearer.
Wharton missed a lot of football last season, too. Injuries limited him to nine games, and although there is hope he can play at some stage during the 2026 campaign, a definitive timeline for his return has not been revealed.
Carolina Panthers have some tweaking to do on their defensive line after Tershawn Wharton blow
Morgan will likely look to add another body to Carolina's interior defensive line. Options are a little thin on the ground in free agency, and the Panthers don't have much money to spend either. It'll be interesting to see what comes next, but the in-house solution should be starting defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero in the face.
Whartron was expected to be the 3-4 starting defensive end opposite Derrick Brown. While his presence will be missed, Bobby Brown III played well in patches last season. Putting him in as a replacement seems feasible, especially given the trust already established between the player and Evero from their time together on the Los Angeles Rams.
Of course, Brown was projected to replace A'Shawn Robinson at the nose tackle position, who became a salary-cap casualty earlier this offseason. Fortunately, the Panthers have a solution for that as well after trading up in the second round for Lee Hunter at No. 49 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Hunter is an immovable object against the run. He made a strong impression at Carolina's rookie minicamp, bringing infectious enthusiasm and wowing with his brute strength. While he doesn't offer much from a pass-rushing perspective, he can absorb combination blocks effectively and free up space for others to do damage. Next to the two Browns in this scenario, that might be enough.
Bolstering the room with a free agent will be considered. There could even be a trade option. Morgan has been reluctant to part ways with draft capital to get veteran help, but he won't hesitate in this instance if he believes it can help Carolina successfully defend its NFC South championship.
Losing Wharton is not ideal. He was eager to make an impression after his first year in Carolina didn't go well, but the injury bug struck once again. That's disappointing, but the Panthers have Hunter and the two Browns to pick up the slack.
Not a bad fallback option.
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