Hello CSR! Welcome to Brian Answers, part two of your weekly Panthers fan mailbag for everyone! After the most exciting Draft since *checks notes* last year, fans have been a buzz about a potential home run of an overall draft class. We’re entering the slow season, but this is the most active I’ve seen our questions part of the mailbag in quite some time. Let’s dive right in!!
Highmiles: I was hoping for a BPA draft and by all accounts this was it. From what I have read, with one exception, everyone
we got was ranked higher than where we picked them. Of course we will not know the value of this draft for about two years. My question is will anyone be a starter from day one, and how many will earn a starting position before the end of the first season.
I think DT Lee Hunter is a safe bet to be a “starter” day one, in the sense that Carolina’s defensive tackles rotate heavily, but I expect him to be right at the top day one alongside Derrick Brown. He should be a key part of the defensive line rotation right away.
For those who can earn a starting position by the end of the season, Monroe Freeling likely won’t be riding the bench for long. I only hesitate to list him as a day one guy because he came in with an expectation that development was needed. He could absolutely start right away, but I’m not stamping certainty onto that. I also think C Sam Hecht will end up the starter at center but not right away. And while I do believe S Nick Scott will start all 17 games, Zakee Wheatley is in prime position to prove me wrong and take that spot.
Coach_K: Who will be our backup QB at start of season?
Kenny Pickett. It would take a real heck of a training camp and preseason from Haynes King to jump to QB2, and I really do not see Will Grier being anything more than the 3rd emergency QB.
Dcangio09: What was your favorite draft pick and why? Conversely what was your least favorite and why?
My favorite draft pick was definitely Zakee Wheatley from Penn State. I’m shocked Carolina got someone with a true free safety skillset at no 151 of the 5th round, and he was GOOD in college for Penn State. Obviously, the expectation is not to start right away, but I think he can be a pretty good starter for them if he pans out. I was tempted to say Sam Hecht, but I love me some DBs.
Least favorite is the really interesting part of the question. I actually felt very “meh” about Lee Hunter at the time of the pick. The Panthers really did a great job in the rounds following the pick to help me like it more. But I do think they could have gotten someone there at a different position who would have been better for a need they had. I think he’s going to be a fine contributor, but I loved basically every other pick they made. I felt Chris Brazzell was a steal where they got him even with questions about the college scheme he was in at Tennessee.
WanderingJanusz: Can you sell me on some moderately warranted UDFA hype?
Sadly, I can’t, I don’t feel particularly strongly about any guy they got after the Draft. But share your thoughts down below on the guys you’re excited about if you disagree!
Vashti2112: There’s a saying that the most valuable asset in sports is a starting (franchise) QB on a rookie contract. But with some other positions starting to blow up in salary pain (WR, EDGE, LT), what do you think the chances are that the Panthers might just move on from Ekwonu if Freeling plays out?
I think they’d try him out at right tackle before they’d move on from him. Obviously, that decision is coming up fast since he’s going to be on the 5th year option in what is likely a mostly lost or entirely lost season. But unless they think they can squeeze two more seasons out of Taylor Moton, I think Ickey has to be in the conversation. But the chance is definitely there to move on, we just have to see how both Freeling and Rasheed Walker work out this year.
Mozzie11: If memory serves me at all – and no sure bets on that – this feels like the best pre-on field draft in Panthers history. Could I be correct? We have had higher end talent at the top with Cam, Pep etc but we usually blew it up afterwards by taking a small school qb with a trade up to turn him into a wr.
This definitely seems like the most critically acclaimed Panthers draft ever. Last season got high marks, but a lot of that came from their top three selections. This one addressed so many needs with guys who were perceived as value selections. Of course, we have to see the product on the field, but if they even got 75% of it right, we’re looking at a darn good long term outlook for the Panthers scouting department.
@WTMealey: Walk us through alternate timelines of how our O-line might look the next 2-3 years. How glad were you each round they passed on safety?
I think Freeling eventually takes over at left tackle in 2026. Taylor Moton might give it another season or two based on his post-draft comments, so its possible Freeling and Moton are still starting in 2027. The guard position is a different story, and that’s possibly where Ikem Ekwonu fits in 2027 if Freeling steps up right away. The Panthers will be able to move on from both Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis in 2027 for considerable cap savings, so I think they will likely move on from at least one of them. At center, Sam Hecht is likely the de facto starter regardless of how this season plays out. But Carolina would be wise to continue adding depth to the trenches, because 2027 could get really interesting.
brake23: If you could change one pick what would it be and who would you pick? If it were me I’d change the 7th round pick. I would have gotten Deontae Lawson there. I also would have gotten Ramsey or Genesis Smith instead of Will Lee at that spot but I’m not upset about the pick. Probably would have gotten Joshua Josephs instead of Sam Hecht as well but also not mad at the pick.
I’d probably change the Will Lee pick as well. I very much like what the dude brings to the table, I just haven’t figured out what the long term plan is there. I don’t think Ejiro Evero will change his zone heavy scheme to accommodate the skills he already has, but teaching a man centric corner how to play zone is definitely not as much of a task as teaching a zone heavy guy to play man. I’d have maybe jumped that pick up to a safety or linebacker, but I’m not upset with how the rest of the Draft went after that. Prove me wrong, Will Lee.
DannyLimes: If every team mascot had a royal rumble and Sir Purr came out number 1 how long do you think he’d last?
Probably all the way until entrant number 30, where he’d miss a kick, and then get dumped over the top ropes by the Patriots mascot.
Mozzie11: There has been a lot of discussion on the internet about the NASA report that said gravity will turn off for about 7 seconds on Aug 12th. Survival tactics aside, if it happens how will this affect the Panther’s training camp?
I think we chuck the gnome in the air and see how many players sign it in mid-air.
Bruce Guild: You can only keep one. Who is it. Dan M or Brandt T
More than likely, the only one the Panthers will be able to keep is Dan Morgan. So that’s my choice, rooted in reality.
RealityDan: Brian, now that free agency and the draft are in the rearview, it feels like the offense may hinge on two big wildcards: Brad Idzik taking over play-calling duties, and the return of a healthy Jonathan Brooks. What if any differences can you discern between Idzik’s philosophy and Dave’s; such as tempo, personnel groupings, balance between run and pass, etc. And to what extent could Brooks’ skill set (vision, burst, pass-catching ability) raise the floor of the offense?
I always hate answering like this, but there’s really no way to tell what Brad Idzik’s offense will look like in comparison just yet. He’s been working underneath Dave Canales since his days in Seattle, so I would assume most of the concepts and personnel are going to be similar since it should be a lot of the same stuff Canales was doing as an offensive coordinator/play caller. It will be fun to see what changes are made, but aside from a throwaway preseason game or two, we really haven’t seen much to tell us what Idzik is going to do differently.
On the Jonathon Brooks side, he’s going to be the most explosive athlete the Panthers have at that position if he’s fully healthy and fully cooking. I think he’ll jump right into the role that Rico Dowdle left behind, and he should be the violent and explosive presence that spot needed. Of course, that’s all a projection for a guy coming off two serious knee injuries, but he appears to be as healthy as he could be right now.
schrodingersblackcat: Having a shiny new rookie WR likely stepping into WR3 early in the season, plus getting a healthy Brooks back into the mix, plus Tet and Evans having a full year’s experience under their belts changes up our offense quite a bit on paper. What does this mean for our 2026 red zone offense? Who do you expect to emerge as a go-to red zone target?
Just having more weapons is going to help immensely. Bryce Young is very good at spreading the ball around in the RedZone, so having another big WR and another RB will help out a ton. Tetairoa McMillan will likely still be the go-to RedZone target, but Jalen Coker made a big wave at the end of the season in that spot too. And having more talent around them should only free them up.
brake23: What do you make of the Brazzell pick? He and Ted Hurst were my fall backs if we didn’t get Makai Lemon, KC Concepcion, or Antonio Williams.
The Panthers talked about adding a deep threat, and they got that with him 100%. He may need to refine his short and intermediate route tree, but the guy can be a stud right away taking the top off the defense. They mentioned wanting a guy like that a lot during the off-season. I was ecstatic when they made the selection in the third round.
Walker Clement: Brain, Is it Razzle Brazzell or Brazzell Dazzle? Sincerely, A Concerned Fan
Brazzell Dazzle. I have spoken. Anyone who argues against this will be banned.
dayneb12: Where do you think the WR room stands for the 53-man roster? It feels like the main conversation is between TMac, Coker, Brazzell, XL, Metchie, Tremayne, Moore, and Horn. Outside of the obvious locks in TMac, Coker, and Brazzell, who do you think makes the 53?
I think T Mac, Coker, Brazzell, and Xavier Legette all make it (though I wouldn’t be shocked by a surprise trade/cut of XL). That leaves two spots left. I think its between Jonathan Metchie and David Moore for one, and Brycen Tremayne and Jimmy Horn for the other. Current projection; Moore and Horn make the roster.
Hythloday: I’m of the opinion XL should move to RB, and have been trying to will this into existence online. Admittedly, I have seen no evidence the team is thinking this too.
Yeah, its not going to happen, my friend. He’s a wide receiver. I’d see a higher chance at tight end since he’s willing to block, but I don’t think a position change will make him any better. He’s either going to figure it out, or he’s not.
THE QB Whisperer: To which team and for what LB do you think Xavier Legette will be traded? And will it happen before week 1 or 6?
I think its very early to try and project that. The team clearly likes him. But…. Dallas seems to always be a good suitor.
positivebob: Which NFCS team do you think added the most talent this draft for 2026?
I think the Saints did an excellent job (grrrr). But you could argue it could be a tie between the whole division, they all had really solid Drafts.
Donkzilla420: Do you think we will still add a TE in free agency, or maybe even a Safety?
I think a tight end is more likely, but I think they are currently feeling set at both positions. Once an injury occurs, they may opt to make a move. I think its more likely they bring in an EDGE or OL depth piece.
That’s all for this week Panthers fans! Join us next week for another edition of the fan mailbag!
