The Carolina Panthers report for training camp on July 21, signaling the start of the season for the franchise. While they aren't the first team to kick off their campaign, the excitement is brewing after winning the NFC South in 2025.
Under head coach Dave Canales and general manager Dan Morgan, the Panthers have gone from the worst record in football to one of the fastest-rising organizations in the sport. After a busy offseason with big splashes in free agency and a need for trench players in the NFL Draft, the roster looks quite different than a year ago.
Instead of doing a generic ranking of the 10 best players on the Panthers' roster, I decided to put the top players into tiers: franchise cornerstone, impact/quality starter, solid/reliable starter, and adequate starter.
Putting the top Carolina Panthers starters into tiers ahead of training camp
Franchise Cornerstone
- Derrick Brown | defensive tackle
- Jaycee Horn | cornerback
These are no-brainer picks for this tier, as both Derrick Brown and Jaycee Horn have displayed outstanding abilities that change the complexity and overall play of the defense. These are the players you want leading your franchise and making impact plays when they matter most. However, I believe we'll see this year that they won't be alone in this category for long.
Horn is coming off a five-interception season and his second consecutive Pro Bowl as one of the better cornerbacks in the NFL. In the trenches, Brown is coming off his most productive season as a pass rusher while exemplifying his elite run defense, which has some believing he is a top-five player at his position.
Quality/Impact Starter
- Tetairoa McMillan | wide receiver
- Damien Lewis | left guard
- Tre’von Moehrig | safety
- Devin Lloyd | linebacker
- Sam Martin | punter
Sam Martin was an absolute weapon on special teams and deserves this spot as an impact player on the roster. Tetairoa McMillan opened up the passing game as a unique element for the offense, while Damien Lewis was comfortably the best offensive lineman during the season as the healthiest player up front.
Tre'von Moehrig was a key reason why Ejiro Evero was able to do so much more in 2025 as one of the most versatile defensive backs in the NFL. However, the addition of second-team All-Pro linebacker Devin Lloyd will allow Evero to do even more than ever before from a coverage and pressure acquisition standpoint.
Solid/Reliable Starter
- Jalen Coker | wide receiver
- Taylor Moton | right tackle
- Robert Hunt | right guard
- Mike Jackson Sr. | cornerback
- Jaelen Phillips | edge rusher
- Ryan Fitzgerald | kicker
Jalen Coker received a well-deserved extension this offseason and became an important pass-catcher in the offense. At the same time, Taylor Moton had yet another consistent season at right tackle as one of the stalwarts of the offense. Robert Hunt missed most of last season with a torn bicep, but remains an important player to the offensive line.
Mike Jackson Sr. had an outstanding finish to 2025 with four interceptions and a league-leading 19 passes deflected, remaining as a reliable defender opposite Horn. Jaelan Phillips should open up the pass rush like we haven't seen since Brian Burns was sent to the New York Giants as one of the top pressure-getters in football. Ryan Fitzgerald showcased clutch kicks and a strong leg that remained consistent all season long.
Adequate Starter
- Bryce Young | quarterback
- Chuba Hubbard | running back
- Ikem Ekwonu | left tackle
- Nic Scourton | edge rusher
- Rasheed Walker | left tackle
Bryce Young showed great flashes last season, especially in the clutch. Consistency must be found in 2026 to earn a big payday and launch himself into "impact starter" status. He's arguably the most important starter on the roster with the most to prove from a league-wide perspective.
Chuba Hubbard has a chance to rebound after injuries slowed him down in 2025, but Jonathon Brooks lurks in the background if he remains healthy. A healthy Ikem Ekwonu was dependable for stretches before tearing his patellar tendon, which could lead the way to Rasheed Walker, a quality pass protector, starting week one — unless Monroe Freeling has other words — while Ekwonu starts on the PUP list.
Nic Scourton has a chance to shoot up from "adequate" to impact" starter designation with a big jump in growth from his rookie season. At just 21 years old entering his second season, there is a ton of upside from the flashes that were shown.
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