Carolina Panthers’ OC explains why Chris Brazzell is a ‘fun’ addition to offense
Brad Idzik will call plays for the Carolina Panthers’ offense in 2026. And the 34-year-old offensive coordinator has an intriguing new ingredient to use when he’s cooking up his play designs this offseason.
Chris Brazzell, the team’s third-round pick, is a long, lanky wideout with notable downfield speed. The passing offense has lacked a consistent speed threat at the outside receiver spot during the Dave Canales era, and Brazzell’s arrival has offered the potential for that type of player.
“Yeah, it’s fun, man,” Idzik said with a smile. “It’s pretty obvious when you have a guy who’s not only fast but a longer athlete, like Chris, that really stretches the safeties and makes them hesitate (in coverage) for one more second on driving on intermediate and underneath (routes).”
Brazzell caught 91 passes for 1,350 yards and 11 touchdowns during his two seasons at Tennessee. He averaged 14.8 yards per catch during that span.
While his 4.37-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine was impressive, his tracking skills and long-end speed are also evident on film.
That skill set can help both phases of the offense, according to Idzik.
“Some of the best blocking you can do is inviting cloud coverage,” Idzik said. “So, when you have a guy that can take the top off, more times than not, those safeties have to honor it by clouding or holding shell (zone) coverage to discourage the deep pass.”
“We had that with DK Metcalf when we were in Seattle, we had that with Mike Evans when we were in Tampa,” Idzik added. “And then last year, you get guys like Xavier (Legette) and Jalen (Coker) and (Tetairoa McMillan) rolling on the outside, the safeties have to honor it and nobody loves that more than (run game coordinator) Harold Goodwin and the running backs.”
This summer, Brazzell will compete with Legette, a 2023 first-round pick, to start opposite McMillan and Coker in three-receiver sets.
If Brazzell can flash his size-speed combo throughout training camp and the preseason, he will be positioned for an important role, whether he leaps Legette on the depth chart or not.
Ejiro Evero weighs in on the nickel position
Second-year cornerback Corey Thornton appears to be a prime candidate to start at nickel corner this season. Coming off a season-ending leg injury, the former undrafted free agent is getting reps in the slot during OTAs.
Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero said he expects a big jump in production from all of his second-year defenders. But Thornton has been working diligently to get an increased role within the defense.
“He’s one of the hardest workers I’ve been around,” Evero said.
Thornton’s competition this summer will be two-fold because of the way Evero uses the nickel position. The coordinator will use both cornerbacks and safeties in the spot, depending on the mismatch potential.
Tre’von Moehrig and Lathan Ransom, a pair of safeties, were used in the slot regularly last year. Chau Smith-Wade, the Week 1 starter at the position, also manned the nickel job for most of the campaign.
Thornton, according to Canales, succeeded Smith-Wade at the position during last season but suffered his season-ending injury shortly afterward. Smith-Wade returned to the role while being spelled by safeties down the stretch.
This season, with a full deck of defensive backs — including rookies Will Lee and Zakee Wheatley — Evero will decipher his best secondary combinations. The results could lead to a lot of mixing and matching at the nickel spot.
“It’s no different than any other personnel group — you’re trying to see what can give you a matchup advantage based on whether the tendencies are run or pass,” Evero said. “Are you trying to pressure or are you not? What coverage systems are you trying to run? Are you trying to be more man-y or zone-y? And so, all of those (questions) are being factored in.”
Evero and his defensive staff will lean on their personnel to find the best pre-snap looks. With versatile pieces like Thornton, Moehrig, Ransom, Smith-Wade and Isaiah Simmons on the roster, they’ll have plenty of options.
“Ultimately, we always try to start off from the standpoint of like, ‘Who are our best players? Who are our difference-makers? What are the things that they do well?’” Evero said. “And then with all of our players, ‘What are the things they do well? How can we put them in situations that we can really highlight their skill sets?’ And being able to play various people at the nickel position certainly allows people to — guys like Moerhig to blitz more, guys like Corey and Chau Smith-Wade to cover more — and so, we’re just trying to highlight some of those things that the players do well. And then ultimately, trying to make it more difficult on the offense.”
Why the Panthers brought back Feleipe Franks
The Panthers brought back a familiar face this offseason. Tight end Feleipe Franks, who starred on special teams for Carolina in 2024, returned on a one-year deal in free agency.
Franks spent last season as an ace for the Atlanta Falcons. But with a new coaching staff in place in Atlanta, Franks headed back to Charlotte to continue his tour of the NFC South.
Special teams coordinator Tracy Smith, who nominated Franks for the Pro Bowl in 2024, was a proponent of welcoming back the former college QB to the fold.
“He had a great season, again, last year, as he had for us,” Smith said. “So, when the free-agent list comes out, you try to get the best guys you can at every single position. My focus is one special teams contributors, of course. So, when you’re asking, ‘Who do you want at tight end?’ It’s hard not to say Feleipe.”
Franks posted 11 special teams tackles last year. In 2024, he had 10 takedowns on the Carolina coverage units.
Smith is hoping Franks’ trademark energy and grit can rub off on the rest of the special teams unit this summer and this season. Maybe the offense can benefit from those intangibles as well.
“Love him as a spirit and as an effort player — a contributor every single day — offensive and special teams,” Smith said. “So, excited to have him back around the building.”
Quick hits
- Idzik said running back Jonathon Brooks is “one of the most talented guys on our roster.” Brooks, who is coming off back-to-back ACL surgeries, took part in the first OTA session of his career on Tuesday. He was sidelined this time of year in 2024 and 2025. Idzik said there “wasn’t hesitation in his game” during this week’s workout.
- Idzik didn’t want to “put the cart before the horse” with the left tackle and center competitions, but he also didn’t want to label first-round pick Monroe Freeling and fifth-round pick Sam Hecht as rookies within those roster battles. Freeling is receiving reps with the left and right tackle positions, but Idzik doesn’t think they would label him as having a “red-shirt” year if he doesn’t one-up veteran Rasheed Walker in the left tackle competition.
- Evero said free-agent addition, linebacker Devin Lloyd, showed off his potential and skill set in the first OTA workout on Tuesday. Evero said fellow free-agent arrival, outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips, is “really, really fast.” The defensive coordinator also praised Phillips and Lloyd’s respective football characters.
- Evero said undrafted defensive end Aaron Hall has shown “a lot of good things” so far in the offseason program. Evero noted Hall’s intelligence and ability to pick up the defense early on. The coordinator said they are pleased with his progress during the program, but they need to see him with the pads on in training camp for a true evaluation.
