Everyone associated with the Carolina Panthers has their sights set on securing playoff football for the first time since 2017. However, front-office personnel and general manager Dan Morgan will have half an eye on the upcoming offseason and how best to improve the roster.
The Panthers are getting closer. They are not the finished article just yet, but there are some encouraging young players and veteran pieces to build around. With a few more tweaks here and there, Carolina will be in a much more profitable situation when the 2026 campaign begins.
Morgan must decide where things stand and what more might be needed. Based on the efforts of Carolina's pass-catchers outside of Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker, he might reach a less-than-favorable conclusion.
Carolina Panthers turn up the heat on Xavier Legette with Makai Lemon mock draft pick
This was a topic discussed in greater detail by Max Chadwick of Pro Football Focus in his new 2026 mock draft. The analyst thought it might be time to give up on Xavier Legette ever becoming a legitimate No. 2 opposite McMillan. Therefore, his choice for the Panthers was dynamic USC wideout Makai Lemon.
"The Panthers continue to build around Bryce Young, pairing last year’s top X-receiver Tetairoa McMillan with the best slot receiver in the class, Makai Lemon. The Biletnikoff Award winner leads all FBS wideouts with a 90.7 PFF grade and paces the Power Four with 1,156 receiving yards."Max Chadwick
This would be the third consecutive year that the Panthers have spent a first-round pick on a wide receiver. It's a seemingly inconceivable notion, but Morgan won't hesitate to pull the trigger if he feels like it's the right thing to do.
He overlooked Carolina's defensive needs to take McMillan at No. 8 overall last spring. That was a shrewd move. Still, there is just no telling for sure how things will go this time around until other decisions have been made beforehand.
Morgan must decide who to extend and who to let go. There is also the small matter of free agency to navigate before the draft rolls around. A lot can and will change, but if those in power believe they have the luxury of drafting another receiver with their opening pick, Lemon might be the best of the bunch.
What this would mean for Legette's future is anyone's guess. He's doing a lot of good work that doesn't show up on the stat sheet. However, his fleeting moments in the passing game are underwhelming in the grand scheme of things. This takes on greater significance when one considers that Carolina traded up to acquire him at No. 32 overall in 2024.
It'll be interesting to see what Morgan has planned. But if it is Lemon or another wideout, that will tell fans all they need to know about how Legette's progress — or lack thereof — is being perceived in the building.