Now that we have taken a look at just how much the Panthers have tied up in specific position groups over the next couple of seasons, what contracts could be terminated or extended, and what percentage of the cap each group takes up, let’s lay all the information out for a broader perspective on where the Panthers are spending their money in 2026. For this series, I used the numbers at Over the Cap.
Offense
Defense
Special Teams
While I did not write an entire article for specialists, they’re people too. So here’s the breakdown:
Overall Takeaways
Through a combination of Brandt Tillis wizardry and rookie contributors, the Panthers are not spending a whole lot on three of the four most expensive position groups: quarterback, wide receiver, and defensive line/edge. Next year, that will have to change. Bryce Young’s fifth year option kicks in, Jalen Coker could get a decent contract extension, and Jaelen Phillips’ cap hit will skyrocket. And that doesn’t even take into account Devin Lloyd and Jaycee Horn seeing huge pay bumps next year. For this year, though, the Panthers have built a team exactly how you want to: relatively inexpensive contributors at expensive positions, which frees up money to spend elsewhere. After spending around league average at a few other positions (running back, tight end, corner, punter, and long snapper), they had plenty left over to really throw money at key positions that can sometimes be overlooked like interior offensive line and safety. Everyone says the path to success in the NFL is a quarterback and some other quality players on rookie contracts supplemented with veteran guys at important spots, and that’s exactly what Dan Morgan and Brandt Tillis have built. If Bryce Young can hold up his end of the bargain, this team could be special.
