{"id":700,"date":"2026-05-26T10:36:30","date_gmt":"2026-05-26T10:36:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=700"},"modified":"2026-05-26T10:36:30","modified_gmt":"2026-05-26T10:36:30","slug":"six-homegrown-carolina-panthers-players-entering-notable-roster-battles-in-otas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=700","title":{"rendered":"Six homegrown Carolina Panthers players entering notable roster battles in OTAs"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Carolina Panthers<\/a>\u2019 brass was adamant about adding legitimate competition<\/a> to every crevice of the depth chart this offseason. And for the most part, general manager Dan Morgan and his front office succeeded in acquiring upgraded talent<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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With additions such as Jaelan Phillips, Devin Lloyd<\/a>, Monroe Freeling, Lee Hunter and Chris Brazzell<\/a> on the roster, the incumbent talent will be pushed throughout the summer. Despite coming off the team\u2019s first division title since 2015, several homegrown players are facing uncertainty<\/a> as the Panthers jumpstart their organized team activities (OTA) workouts this week.<\/p>\n

The competition entering the heart of the offseason program is so vast within the roster<\/a> that several former draft picks \u2014 including those brought in by Morgan \u2014 are entering battles that could greatly impact their respective futures<\/a> in Carolina. That group will need to produce strong training camp and preseason performances to settle into roles in 2026.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a look at six homegrown contributors looking to best their newfound competition this summer:<\/p>\n

How acquired:<\/b> 2024 first-round pick<\/p>\n

Competition:<\/b> Chris Brazzell, John Metchie<\/p>\n

Legette has had a much-maligned two-year tenure in Charlotte. While he has flashed as a big-play threat at times, his effectiveness has been too few and far between for a former Day 1 selection. He\u2019s already been thoroughly supplanted by reigning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, Tetairoa McMillan, and Jalen Coker \u2014 who went undrafted in 2024 \u2014 is clearly in position to leap him this summer as well<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Legette will now need to fend off Brazzell this summer<\/a> for the No. 3 spot on the wideout totem pole. Brazzell, the team\u2019s third-round pick, has deep speed and quality size at the position. Legette will need to tap into his own size-speed dynamic to edge out the rookie. If Legette falters, he could be jettisoned out of town, similar to Jonathan Mingo in 2024<\/a>.<\/p>\n

How acquired:<\/b> 2024 second-round pick<\/p>\n

Competition:<\/b> His health<\/p>\n

Brooks is essentially competing with himself this summer<\/a>. If he can stay healthy, he will be a massive part of the Panthers\u2019 offense. If he struggles to regain form after back-to-back knee surgeries, he\u2019ll slide down the depth chart.<\/p>\n

With Chuba Hubbard returning to the starting lineup, the Panthers will want Brooks to grab the second spot in the running back rotation. Trevor Etienne, a fourth-round pick last year, and AJ Dillon will serve as insurance in case Brooks fails to stay on the field. But make no mistake, Carolina wants Brooks to live up to his draft pedigree<\/a> this year, and they\u2019ll do everything they can to make sure that happens.<\/p>\n

How acquired:<\/b> 2024 third-round pick<\/p>\n

Competition:<\/b> Versatility of safeties and Claudin Cherelus<\/p>\n

Lloyd\u2019s arrival in free agency should greatly improve the primary inside linebacker spot<\/a>. But the Panthers will need to figure out where Wallace fits. They\u2019ll presumably position him next to Lloyd in base sets, offering Wallace the opportunity to remain a starter with less pressure on his shoulders.<\/p>\n

Wallace will then need to hold off fellow tenured linebacker Claudin Cherelus<\/a> to remain with the first-team defense. He will also need to show improved coverage ability and durability in order to stay on the field over a potential dime-package option at safety.<\/p>\n

Tre\u2019von Moehrig, Isaiah Simmons, Lathan Ransom and even fifth-round pick Zakee Wheatley could be threats to Wallace\u2019s playing time in sub-packages<\/a>, even if they play totally different positions by nature.<\/p>\n

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How acquired:<\/b> 2024 fifth-round pick<\/p>\n

Competition:<\/b> Corey Thornton and DeVonta Smith<\/p>\n

Earlier this month, Panthers head coach Dave Canales acknowledged that Thornton had legitimately overtaken Smith-Wade at the nickel position in 2025 before his season-ending injury against the San Francisco 49ers. Thornton, now healthy, is positioned as the favorite for that gig this summer.<\/p>\n

Smith-Wade \u2014 who has had his share of ups and downs in Carolina \u2014 will need to have a strong training camp and preseason to regain his role. If he can\u2019t beat out Thornton, he\u2019ll also need to fend off Smith, an undrafted rookie with plenty of college experience in the slot<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Smith-Wade is a quality special-teams player, but he might be put in a vulnerable spot if he can\u2019t win the top nickel position outright. Akayleb Evans and Robert Rochell are arguably better fits for special-teams coordinator Tracy Smith\u2019s unit than Smith-Wade.<\/p>\n

How acquired:<\/b> 2025 sixth-round pick<\/p>\n

Competition:<\/b> Metchie, Brycen Tremayne, David Moore, Dan Chisena and the tight-end depth<\/p>\n

Horn enters his second year of OTAs with plenty of competition around him. The arrivals of Brazzell and Metchie could be his undoing<\/a>, as the team is more likely to favor Legette \u2014 a former first-round pick \u2014 over retaining a lightly used gadget playmaker.<\/p>\n

Still, Horn has shiftiness that can be effective if his skills are used properly by offensive coordinator Brad Idzik<\/a>. If Horn can put on a show in workouts this summer, he might get an edge over Metchie or Moore as a backup slot option for Bryce Young. It\u2019d also be nice to see Horn get some return opportunities this summer.<\/p>\n

How acquired:<\/b> 2023 fourth-round pick<\/p>\n

Competition:<\/b> His health, Saahdiq Charles and Ja\u2019Tyre Carter<\/p>\n

Zavala is entering the final year of his rookie contract. When he was selected by the previous regime in 2023, the idea was that he could be a future starter after two promising seasons at N.C. State. However, he\u2019s spent more time on injury lists than in the starting lineup over the past three years.<\/p>\n

The fact that 2024 free-agent additions, Damien Lewis and Rob Hunt, are fantastic starters at guard hasn\u2019t helped Zavala. But he hasn\u2019t done himself any favors either, as his play has left a lot to be desired when he\u2019s been healthy. Now, he\u2019s facing a make-or-break summer, even with some uninspiring competition<\/a> behind Lewis and Hunt.<\/p>\n

Carter and Charles are baseline NFL linemen. They could easily be upgraded with a call to familiar faces like Brady Christensen and Jake Curhan. But for now, they\u2019re the ones standing in Zavala\u2019s way of making the team for a fourth season.<\/p>\n

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The Carolina Panthers have upgraded their roster with draft picks and free agents in 2026. That influx of talent has left incumbent contributors vulnerable.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":699,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-700","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-read-todays-edition"],"yoast_head":"\nSix homegrown Carolina Panthers players entering notable roster battles in OTAs - \u0421harlotte Relocation Guide<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=700\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Six homegrown Carolina Panthers players entering notable roster battles in OTAs - \u0421harlotte Relocation Guide\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Carolina Panthers have upgraded their roster with draft picks and free agents in 2026. 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