Carolina Panthers mailbag: Which UDFA rookie has the best chance at a roster spot?
The Panthers are just a couple of weeks away from hosting organized teams activities (OTAs) at their soon-to-be-revamped practice facility outside of Bank of America Stadium.
Naturally, Carolina fans are curious about the immediate future of the NFL franchise. So, we’ve brought back the Panthers mailbag to answer some of their questions.
Panthers mailbag: The outlook for UDFAs
Jeff on Bluesky asks: Which of the 10 undrafted free agents has the best chance to make the 53-man roster? Could a guy like Haynes King or Kobe Prentice push for a spot?
The Panthers have had three undrafted rookies make their initial 53-man roster in each of the past two years. However, following a dozen internal re-signings this offseason, it’s going to be much harder to crack the depth chart as an overlooked prospect this year.
It’s a numbers game. So, undrafted players at positions with plenty of known depth are going to be less likely to earn initial spots beyond the practice squad, barring injury. That’s why it’s hard to project a wide receiver (Kobe Prentice) or outside linebacker (Isaiah Smith) to snag a spot just based off a couple of rookie minicamp practices.
The same could be said for King, as the Panthers haven’t kept three quarterbacks on their 53-man roster without an injury situation under Dave Canales. While there’s a segment of the fan base that is hopeful that King can turn into a gadget player in the mold of Taysom Hill, the former New Orleans Saints jack-of-all-trades took quite a while to develop into that type of asset. King is more likely to be a lock for the practice squad than a legitimate contender for the 53-man roster entering OTAs. He must force the team’s hand in the preseason by making himself a desirable waiver claim option for other clubs.
The offensive and defensive lines have some wiggle room with competition. So does the secondary if the Panthers are looking for versatility at cornerback.
Offensive tackles Albert Reese and Isaia Glass could stick around if they show some guard versatility and the Panthers don’t sign an outside veteran at that position. Aaron Hall and/or Parker Peterson might be able to out-duel LaBryan Ray and/or Jared Harrison-Hunte in a training camp battle. DeVonta Smith, Cam Miller and Jaylon Guilbeau are all interesting prospects at cornerback, and if they can stand out on special teams, they could push an incumbent depth player out of the mix.
Hall and Smith are versatile defenders who could make sense to keep around. Hall can play all three spots on the defensive line in odd fronts, while Smith can play inside or outside in man or zone coverage. Glass, though, if he can work inside competently at guard, could be the sleeper of the bunch.
Rookies making positive first impressions
Ed on X asks: Which rookies have been turning heads in a good way?
During the rookie minicamp workouts, it’s hard to glean much beyond athleticism, size and raw speed. There’s limited contact and the quarterbacks haven’t built chemistry with their targets. But because third-round pick Chris Brazzell is a long, tall and fast receiver, he was able to put out a highlight reel over the course of the workouts. Brazzell’s catch radius is expansive, and he made several completions out of poorly timed and/or placed passes.
Second-round pick Lee Hunter, a versatile defensive lineman, stood out in individual drills with his quickness. He is nimble for a 6-foot-3, 318-pound lineman. He also has fast hands and energy to pursue the ball in a jiffy. While the non-contact practices typically don’t do much for the lineman, Hunter was a clear winner of the weekend, simply because of his burst and balance.
First-round pick Monroe Freeling weighed 315 pounds at the NFL Scouting Combine in February. According to Canales, he is now around 325 pounds, which is a positive. Freeling won’t turn 22 until July, so he’s still growing into his 6-foot-7 frame. Adding weight now and making adjustments with that additional size will only help him develop at the next level. He earns a gold star for the weight gain.
A dark horse at WR?
Scott on Bluesky asks: What’s the story behind WR (Ja’seem) Reed?
Reed spent all of last season on the practice squad after joining the Panthers midway through training camp last year. He was one of three undrafted rookies — along with tight end Bryce Pierre and NFL International Pathway Program linebacker Maz Mwanza — to spend the entire campaign on the practice roster.
During this past weekend’s workouts, the 6-foot, 190-pound receiver shined as a pass-catcher. Outside of Brazzell, Reed was arguably the most impressive offensive skill player participating in the workout.
Reed could have a shot at a depth role if he can make his mark on special teams. He doesn’t have return experience, but he could perhaps compete as a gunner on punt coverage.
Ja’Tavion Sanders and his injury woes
Panthers Stats on X asks: Was JT Sanders more hurt last year than we realized? Came out the gate with two solid performances in Weeks 1-2 and then after the injury in Week 3 production fell off a cliff.
The Charlotte Observer spoke with tight ends coach Pat McPherson before the Week 12 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers in November. McPherson alluded to Sanders’ Week 3 ankle injury being a nagging ailment during the conversation.
“JT just loves to win, and he just loves the guys in the room,” McPherson said. “He loves his teammates. So, if you watch that game the other day (against Atlanta), he is celebrating everybody after their big plays, which is really a neat deal, and that’s a leadership quality, just pushing others forward. … I think over the last few weeks, he’s getting past the ankle (injury) — starting to get his overall quickness and health back. I would imagine pretty quick here, he’s gonna start getting after it pretty good.”
It’s probably fair to wonder if the injury lingered into poor production for Sanders.
To Panthers Stats’ point, Sanders produced 11 catches for 92 yards in the first three games of 2025. He then missed three matchups with the ankle injury before producing 18 catches for 98 yards and a touchdown in the next 10 games. He eventually suffered a season-ending ankle injury which required surgery.
Sanders is taking part in the offseason program, and the Panthers’ brass has said that he should be able to participate in OTAs. It’s a huge year for him, and he needs to take the next step as a playmaker.
How Monroe Freeling impacts Ickey Ekwonu
Reid on X asks: If Monroe Freeling earns the LT job in camp and looks good, is it more likely Rasheed Walker is traded and Ickey Ekwonu becomes swing tackle or that Ickey would cross train at guard when he’s back healthy?
If Freeling wins the left tackle job out of training camp, all options should be on the table. However, it’s unlikely that the Panthers would trade Walker without a quality offer before the trade deadline. Sure, Stone Forsythe is around and has experience, but Walker has been considerably more successful at left tackle than him.
Regarding Ekwonu (Achilles), it wouldn’t be fair to rush him back into action and move him to a different position. If Freeling excels, there’s also no need to force him off the field for Ekwonu, who will need time to get back to form.
Ekwonu is in a contract year, so he needs to be patient and not hurt his value. From the Panthers’ perspective, they can’t force themselves to downgrade their line out of loyalty to an incumbent player who could move on after this year.
It’s a fascinating situation, but because the Panthers were so proactive with Freeling and Walker, they can afford to let things play out.
