Too early to discuss role of Jonathon Brooks? Plus hear from Panthers punter Sam Martin

Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales sat down with reporters earlier this week at the annual league meeting in Arizona, and answered every question under the sun.

And what did that spawn?

Even more questions. The good kind of questions, of course — the kind that steer us toward understanding who these Panthers might be in 2026 and beyond. But questions nonetheless.

A sampling:

Luke Fortner is going to “compete” for the starting center job. What exactly does that mean?

Jonathon Brooks will be ready to be a full-go for OTAs and the rest of offseason programming. What will his role be this season?

And ... of course ... what else is there to say about the NFL Draft? (This is rhetorical; there’s a lot to get to.)

Mike Kaye and Alex Zietlow break down these questions and more in the latest episode of Processing Blue, an award-winning podcast about all things Panthers.

The two also are joined by veteran punter Sam Martin, who is fresh off signing his two-year deal with the Carolina Panthers. They talk about the onside kick rule, Martin’s journey with the Panthers so far and playing ball at App State.

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.

This story was originally published April 1, 2026 at 6:00 AM.

Alex Zietlow

The Charlotte Observer

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

The Charlotte Observer

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