Carolina Panthers News

The Carolina Panthers re-signed starting safety Nick Scott on a one-year deal worth up to $3.25 million on Saturday, agents Jeremy Appledorf and Ed Wasielewski told Joe Person of The Athletic. Scott is one of the leaders of defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero's scheme, and he was second on the team last year with a career-high 111 tackles (64 solo). In addition to his 111 tackles, Scott had an interception, three pass breakups, and a fumble recovery in 17 regular-season starts in his second year with the team. The 30-year-old former seventh-round pick by the Los Angeles Rams in 2019 out of Penn State finished as the No. 33 defensive back in IDP fantasy scoring in his seventh year in the NFL. He will return to Carolina's secondary again next season and start opposite Tre'von Moehrig. Scott has 355 career tackles (216 solo), five interceptions, 14 pass breakups, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries in 108 games (48 starts).

The Carolina Panthers are signing former Green Bay Packers left tackle Rasheed Walker to an undisclosed one-year deal on Friday, sources told Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. Walker was one of the top free agents still on the open market. The 26-year-old was drafted in the seventh round (249th overall) by Green Bay back in 2022 out of Penn State. He has started 48 of the 52 games he's appeared in over his four years in the NFL, and he'll now head to the NFC South to give the Panthers another experienced left-tackle option in case Ikem Ekwonu (knee) isn't ready for the start of the 2026 regular season this fall after he tore the patellar tendon in his knee in the Wild-Card loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the postseason. Walker was the Packers' starting left tackle in 2025 and played in all 1,057 of their offensive snaps.

Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks (knee) could be an appealing buy-low candidate in dynasty leagues as he works his way back from injury. Brooks missed the entire 2025 regular season due to a torn ACL that he suffered in 2024. Injuries have limited the once-promising running back to just three games through two NFL seasons. The former Texas product showed some promise when healthy, though. In Week 13 of the 2024 season, when the Panthers were still getting him up to speed, he handled six carries and also caught three passes for 23 receiving yards. Brooks should be healthy for training camp in 2026, and he could ascend into a significant role right away. Rico Dowdle departed the Panthers in free agency, leaving Brooks and Trevor Etienne in competition for a larger workload alongside Chuba Hubbard. While Hubbard has an early leg up on the competition, we would not be surprised to see both Brooks and Etienne get a fair crack at the job. Brooks could have low-end RB3/flex appeal if he locks up the backup running back role, and earning the starting job could put him in RB2 territory. 2025 showed that Chuba Hubbard isn't an every-down back, so Brooks would likely handle a sizable workload even if he split touches with Hubbard.

Former New York Jets wide receiver John Metchie III is signing an undisclosed one-year deal with the Carolina Panthers on Wednesday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Metchie will reunite with quarterback Bryce Young, with whom he played college ball at Alabama. The 25-year-old was originally a second-round pick (44th overall) by the Houston Texans in the 2022 NFL draft. Metchie had an unfortunate setback with a cancer diagnosis and missed the entire 2022 season, but he has slowly bounced back and posted a career-high 274 receiving yards and two touchdowns on 33 receptions in 16 games (seven starts) with the Jets and Philadelphia Eagles last year. Metchie will now head to the NFC South, where he'll serve in a depth role behind Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker. His previous connection with Young should help, but barring an injury ahead of him on Carolina's WR depth chart, it's hard to imagine Metchie having much weekly fantasy football appeal in 2026.

The Carolina Panthers re-signed tight end James Mitchell to an undisclosed one-year deal on Wednesday, a league source told Joseph Person of The Athletic. Mitchell was a restricted free agent. Mitchell will return to Carolina for a second season in 2026 after catching all three of his targets for 28 yards in just five games played a year ago. The 26-year-old was drafted in the fifth round (177th overall) by the Detroit Lions in 2022 out of Virginia Tech. In his first three years in the league in Detroit, Mitchell had 13 receptions on 13 targets for 141 yards and one touchdown in 29 games played (one start). He is not anywhere close to fantasy relevance in Carolina and will serve in a depth role at TE once again behind the likes of Ja'Tavion Sanders, Tommy Tremble, and Mitchell Evans.

The Carolina Panthers re-signed wide receiver David Moore to an undisclosed deal on Tuesday, according to Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer. Moore only played in four games for the Panthers in 2025 in his second year with the team, catching his only target for five yards. The 31-year-old former seventh-round selection by the Seattle Seahawks in 2017 out of East Central totaled 32 receptions on a career-high 57 targets for 351 yards and three touchdowns in 17 games played in his first year in Carolina in 2024. Moore will return to provide depth for Carolina's wide receiver room, but he can pretty much be ignored in all fantasy formats going into his ninth NFL season. Moore has never gone over 35 receptions, 445 receiving yards, or six touchdowns in a single year in his NFL career.

Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard was one of 2024's most successful fantasy breakouts, finishing his fourth professional season as the RB15, but 2025 brought hardships in the form of injuries and a frustrating timeshare with Rico Dowdle. With Dowdle now agreeing to a two-year pact with the Steelers in the opening hours of the NFL's legal tampering window, Hubbard again finds himself with a chance to claim the top spot on the depth chart. After a day in which the Panthers committed to spending big on the defensive side of the ball, the running backs' room is left with Hubbard, the oft-injured Jonathon Brooks, and 2025 fourth-round pick Trevor Etienne. If the team believes in the receiving prowess of Brooks and Etienne, this very well could be the trio they enter the 2026 season with, perhaps with the addition of a late-round depth piece from a rookie class not necessarily touted for the strength of its running back group.

Pro Bowl linebacker Devin Lloyd has agreed to a three-year, $45 million contract with the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers, who also agreed to terms on a four-year deal with edge rusher Jaelan Phillips, continue to reshape their defense by bringing in the 27-year-old off-ball linebacker who is coming off one of the most impactful seasons of his four-year career. A Pro-Bowler and Second-Team All-Pro in 2025, the former Jaguar finished the year with a career-high 10 quarterback hits and five interceptions, including one that he returned 99 yards for his first career touchdown. Lloyd is now one of the ten-highest-paid players at the position and will be the focal point of a Panthers defense on which the team committed to spending big on the first day of legal tampering.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are signing former Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle to an undisclosed deal on Monday, multiple sources told Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports. Dowdle was never expected to return to Carolina in his search for an RB1 role after back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons with the Panthers and Dallas Cowboys. The 27-year-old carried the Panthers' backfield last year when Chuba Hubbard missed time due to injury, and he finished with 1,076 rushing yards and a career-high six rushing scores on 236 carries over 17 regular-season games (11 starts). Dowdle's production trailed off late last year, though, as Hubbard was kept in the fold out of the backfield. In Pittsburgh, he may have a similar problem. Pass-catching back Kenneth Gainwell signed with the Bucs, but Jaylen Watson remains and could be a serious threat to Dowdle's fantasy upside as he heads into his sixth NFL season. Dowdle finished 2025 as the RB16 in half-PPR scoring.

Carolina Panthers impending free-agent power back Rico Dowdle "has been linked" to the Washington Commanders by some people around the NFL, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. Dowdle should do quite well for himself on the open market this offseason after back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons with the Dallas Cowboys and Panthers. In 17 regular-season games last year with Carolina, the 27-year-old South Carolina product had a career-high 236 rushing attempts for 1,076 yards (4.6 yards per carry), and six rushing touchdowns, adding 39 receptions for a career-best 297 yards and another score on 50 targets. Dowdle would become Washington's favorite for RB1 duties next season if they were to sign him, giving them a more experienced and established lead back over Jacory Croskey-Merritt. The Panthers are probably unlikely to re-sign Dowdle since he wants to pursue a lead-back role, which he won't get in Carolina alongside Chuba Hubbard.

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan finished as the WR15 in Half-PPR formats on his way to winning Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2025. With offensive coordinator Brad Idzik returning for his third season and set to take over play-calling duties from head coach Dave Canales, the stability is in place for him to take the next step in year two. While quarterback Bryce Young has yet to top 3,100 yards in his three-year career, McMillan was on the receiving end of nearly a third of the Panthers' 2025 passing offense, on the strength of a 26.3% target share. Following a surprise playoff appearance, Carolina holds the 19th pick in the NFL Draft, which could put them out of range to add another difference-making receiver in 2026. While the team did place the exclusive rights free agent tender on Jalen Coker, McMillan should again clear the top of the depth chart, putting him in line for his first potential WR1 finish.

The Carolina Panthers intend to replace backup quarterback Andy Dalton this offseason, according to David Newton of ESPN.com. "Moving on is the plan, even if it means releasing Dalton and leaving $3.83 million in dead cap money with a post-June 1 parting," Newton wrote. This loosely echoes previous comments from Panthers general manager Dan Morgan, who said the team wants to develop a young backup behind Bryce Young and that Dalton would have to compete for a roster spot. At this point, it sounds unlikely that he'll be back for 2026, with the Panthers perhaps looking toward free agency or the NFL Draft for a younger replacement. Newton identified veteran journeyman quarterbacks Kenny Pickett, Zach Wilson, Trey Lance, and Sam Howell as potential QB2 options in Carolina going forward.

Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard lost hold of his lead-back role during the 2025 season, but he has a glaring opportunity to win back the starting job in 2026. Rico Dowdle supplanted Hubbard atop the depth chart for a decent portion of last year, but with Dowdle headed for free agency and unlikely to re-sign, the job appears to be Hubbard's to lose. We can't rule out the Panthers drafting or signing a different running back to work alongside Hubbard, especially as more and more teams trend toward the shared backfield approach. However, it's worth noting that the Panthers have Trevor Etienne and Jonathon Brooks (knee) on the verge of making an impact, so perhaps Carolina will proceed with Hubbard atop the depth chart and Etienne and Brooks gradually taking on larger roles. The Panthers are also motivated to feed plenty of touches to Hubbard, as they signed him to a four-year extension just over a year ago. He was a top-28 fantasy running back in 2023 and 2024, but he dropped to RB38 with 511 rushing yards, 223 receiving yards, and four touchdowns last year. Hubbard's job security and the imminent departure of Dowdle should push him back into the top-25 range. As a result, he's a very appealing buy-low candidate in dynasty leagues this offseason.

The Carolina Panthers placed exclusive-rights free-agent tenders on wide receivers Jalen Coker and Brycen Tremayne on Wednesday, locking them both in for the 2026 season, according to Darin Gantt of Panthers.com. Neither Coker nor Tremayne will have the opportunity to negotiate with other teams this offseason. The 24-year-old Coker missed the first six games of last season due to a quadriceps injury, but he still managed to finish second in receiving in Carolina with 33 catches on 43 targets for 394 yards and a career-high three touchdowns in 11 regular-season games in his second year in the NFL. Coker emerged as the team's WR2 behind Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan late in the year, catching 19 passes for 244 yards and all three of his TDs in the final five games. He added nine grabs for 134 yards and a score in the Wild-Card playoff loss to the Rams. If Coker can play in a full season, he has true breakout potential as Carolina's WR2.

Carolina Panthers general manager and president of football operations Dan Morgan said on the Pat McAfee Show on Thursday that he hasn't talked to any teams "about a trade, but if the possibility did come up, I would talk to Andy." ESPN's Adam Schefter reported this week that the Panthers have been getting calls on the availability of veteran quarterback Andy Dalton. While the Panthers may not be looking to trade Dalton at this moment, it sounds like Morgan isn't opposed to it, especially after telling McAfee that the organization wants to "get a little younger and more athletic" at the backup QB position. The 38-year-old is going into the second year of a two-year, $8 million contract he signed with Carolina in February of 2025. At best, Dalton could be a veteran bridge QB for a team that loses out in free agency and is desperate at the position.

Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales, who is giving up offensive play-calling this year, said that quarterback Bryce Young will "increasingly be able to change plays at the line" when he recognizes mismatches with the opposing defense, according to Kassidy Hill of Panthers.com. "I love the strides we've taken in terms of the operation, how he gets us up there, makes great calls, fixes our protection problems, finding solutions in areas where we've talked about to take advantage of coverages, takes advantage of different fronts for run plays, and just wanting Bryce to continue to grow in the ownership of those things," Canales said. It's the next step in the former first overall pick's development as he heads into his fourth year in the league. The 24-year-old showed improvement in 2025, completing a career-high 63.6% of his passes for 3,011 yards and 23 touchdowns, which were also career-highs. Young will need to take another step forward in 2026 to be thrown into the QB1 conversation in fantasy.

Sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter that the Carolina Panthers have been receiving calls about quarterback Andy Dalton for a potential trade. The veteran play-caller is heading into his 16th year in the league and was a serviceable backup during fellow quarterback Bryce Young's development since 2023. Before his stint in Carolina, Dalton was a streaming quarterback option during the 2022 season with the New Orleans Saints, with two top-10 finishes and double-digit fantasy points in nine of his 12 starts. Depending on his landing spot, Dalton holds value in two-quarterback or superflex dynasty leagues as a stash if he finds himself in a starting position once again. However, the 38-year-old is unlikely to crack the top 12 or 14 for redraft leagues in 2026.

Carolina Panthers general manager Dan Morgan said on Tuesday that running back Jonathon Brooks (knee) is "making a lot of progress" in his rehab from the torn right ACL that he suffered in December of 2024, according to Darin Gantt of Panthers.com. The Panthers are cautiously optimistic that Brooks will be able to contribute to their backfield in 2026 after he appeared in just three games in his two NFL seasons due to multiple ACL tears. The 22-year-old could have a path to being Carolina's RB2 behind Chuba Hubbard next season, too, if Rico Dowdle departs in free agency. Brooks, a former second-rounder in 2024 out of the University of Texas, will need to prove he still has the same pre-injury explosiveness, and the Panthers will undoubtedly ease him back in when he returns to the field. Brooks will be a big question mark going into the 2026 season.

Carolina Panthers impending free-agent running back Rico Dowdle wasn't happy with the way the 2025 season ended and seemed like a man not interested in re-signing, but he "has sent out social-media messages since then suggesting he might," according to Darin Gantt of Panthers.com. General manager Dan Morgan said the "door was open" for Dowdle to return, but they will let him test the free-agent market. If Dowdle doesn't re-sign, the Panthers are happy with the rest of the RB room, which includes Chuba Hubbard, former second-rounder Jonathon Brooks, and last year's fourth-rounder, Trevor Etienne. The 27-year-old Dowdle led Carolina in rushing last year, running for 1,076 yards and six touchdowns on 236 carries over 17 regular-season games. It was his second straight 1,000-yard season. He was involved in more of a timeshare down the stretch with Hubbard, though, and Dowdle has made it clear he wants an opportunity to be a lead back. That's unlikely to happen if he stays with the Panthers.

A fourth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Carolina Panthers running back Trevor Etienne played a minimal role on offense in his rookie year. Across 17 games, the 21-year-old recorded 107 yards from scrimmage on just 23 touches. Etienne spent the entire year buried on the depth chart behind veteran Panthers backs Chuba Hubbard and Rico Dowdle. Dowdle is a free agent heading into 2026 and may not return to Carolina. However, the Panthers may be getting back 2024 second-round running back Jonathon Brooks (knee), who missed the entirety of 2025 while rehabbing from a torn ACL. Even if Dowdle signs elsewhere and Brooks' injury issues continue, Etienne did little as a rookie to prove he should be part of Carolina's long-term plans. Depending on league size and format, Etienne may not be worth stashing on dynasty rosters after his underwhelming 2025 campaign.