What is the Carolina Panthers’ biggest offseason need? Depends on who you ask
By Alex Zietlow ,
Mike Kaye and
Scott Fowler
Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales, left, points to wide receiver Jalen Coker, right, following a touchdown during action against the Los Angeles Rams at Bank of America Stadium on Saturday, January 10, 2026.
JEFF SINER
jsiner@charlotteobserver.com
It ended with a loss, but there’s no question the Carolina Panthers’ 2025 season was a promising step forward.
Still, like any other offseason, questions abound.
Among those questions:
Did quarterback Bryce Young do enough to deserve his team picking up his fifth-year option, like the Panthers ended up doing? Did the Panthers have much of a choice in the matter?
How much does Ickey Ekwonu’s injury impact what the team should do at offensive tackle this offseason?
What is the Panthers’ single-most important need in free agency?
And ... for real ... what is an “exclusive free agent,” and how might that impact Jalen Coker’s offseason?
Observer reporters Mike Kaye and Alex Zietlow, as well as columnist Scott Fowler, answered these questions and more in the latest podcast episode of Processing Blue. The trio also discussed some takeaways from general manager Dan Morgan’s end-of-season press conference on Tuesday and also briefly discussed Xavier Legette and his future.
Listen to the latest podcast episode at the embed in this story, or download it on Spotify, Apple Music or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also check out the show on YouTube.
Alex Zietlow writes about the Carolina Panthers and the ways in which sports intersect with life for The Charlotte Observer, where he has been a reporter since August 2022. Zietlow’s work has been honored by the Pro Football Writers Association, the N.C. and S.C. Press Associations, as well as the Associated Press Sports Editors (APSE) group. He’s earned six APSE Top 10 distinctions for his coverage on a variety of topics, from billion-dollar stadium renovations to the small moments of triumph that helped a Panthers kicker defy the steepest odds in sports. Zietlow previously wrote for The Herald in Rock Hill (S.C.) from 2019-22.Support my work with a digital subscription
Mike Kaye writes about the Carolina Panthers for The Charlotte Observer. He also co-hosts “Processing Blue: A Panthers Podcast” for The Observer. Kaye’s work in columns/analysis and sports feature writing has been honored by the North Carolina Press Association (NCPA). His reporting has also received recognition from the Associated Press Sports Editors (APSE).Kaye previously covered the entire NFL for Pro Football Network, the Philadelphia Eagles for NJ Advance Media and the Jacksonville Jaguars for First Coast News. Support my work with a digital subscription
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.JPG "Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales, left, points to wide receiver Jalen Coker, right, following a touchdown during action against the Los Angeles Rams at Bank of America Stadium on Saturday, January 10, 2026.")
