3 Carolina Panthers position groups the team could afford not to draft
The Carolina Panthers have stated over and over again that they feel they’ve done enough in free agency to draft “the best player available” at No. 19 overall.
But what about the rest of the draft?
And how far does the company line of “we’re trying to get better at every position” mesh with a “best player available” strategy?
When mulling over these two questions, what one keeps coming back to is the reality that the Panthers — who are trying to repeat as NFC South champions against a tougher schedule than the year prior and against a reportedly better division — can afford to spend draft capital at most positions. Defensive line. Safety. Even wide receiver.
But is there a position group — or groups — the Panthers could afford not to draft?
Here are three, with accompanying explanations.
Quarterback: Bryce Young, Kenny Pickett all set
The Panthers were clear leading up to free agency that a change at backup quarterback was coming. And they followed up on that with the signing of Kenny Pickett and the trading of 38-year-old gunslinger Andy Dalton.
If trends persist, a third and fourth quarterback will be added to the room for training camp, and then only two will be on the active 53-man roster, with another taking up a practice squad roster spot. No need to plan to have a draft pick be on the practice squad.
And yes, while the Panthers always could draft a QB on Day 3 to theoretically compete for QB2 with Pickett, it’s unlikely such a competition would materialize. Head coach Dave Canales really likes Pickett; not only does he like his mobility, his recent starting QB experience, his mindset — he also recognizes him as a quarterback who will get another chance as a QB1 one day, and he wants to be “a part of his story.”
Now, the Panthers have scheduled a visit with former Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King, per NFL Network. But this seems much more like an up-close look at a quarterback the Panthers could think is a priority undrafted free agent instead of burning their sixth-round pick on him.
Special teams specialists: No need fixing what’s not broken
This one feels like a cop-out, perhaps, as the Panthers haven’t spent a draft pick on a punter, kicker or long snapper since 2021 — and even that was a sixth-round long snapper who JJ Jansen ultimately prevailed over in the subsequent long-snapping competition. (Before that, the Panthers drafted a kicker in 2017 ... a player named Harrison Butker who was immediately sent to the Kansas City Chiefs before he could play a game in Bank of America Stadium.)
But it’s worth saying just to reassert the Panthers’ stability among these three players. Jansen has yet to falter and keeps cashing in on one-year deals as a result. Punter Sam Martin is coming off a self-proclaimed “Top 3” season of his 13-year career. And soon-to-be second-year kicker Ryan Fitzgerald had a marvelous rookie season — highlighted by the fact he kicked four game-winning field goals in 2025, tied for the most by a rookie kicker in the NFL since 1970.
Guard: Hear this out
You’ve probably seen a mock draft or two that has the Panthers taking an interior offensive lineman early. ESPN’s Matt Miller has Penn State guard Olaivavega Ioane going to Carolina in the first round, for instance. And I have even suggested on the Processing Blue podcast and other Charlotte Observer platforms that the Panthers draft an interior offensive lineman with either robust center experience or at least the versatility to play such a position. Players who come to mind include Keylan Rutledge out of Georgia Tech, or Jake Slaughter out of Florida, or Billy Schrauth out of Notre Dame.
The key is that the center is the need — not the guard. After all, the Panthers have one of the best duo of guards in the league with still-in-their-primes Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis, and they also have 2024 draft pick Chandler Zavala and reserve center (who can also moonlight as an interior OL) Nick Samac in the stable.
It wouldn’t be surprising if the Panthers draft an offensive tackle and/or a center in this year’s draft. But guard? With all the other needs the Panthers have, they can afford to focus their attention elsewhere.
This story was originally published April 7, 2026 at 5:00 AM with the headline "3 Carolina Panthers position groups the team could afford not to draft."
