The Carolina Panthers offensive line earns an impressive ranking ahead of the 2026 NFL season.
The Carolina Panthers enter the 2026 NFL season with some big questions still to answer. After winning the NFC South in 2025, doing so for the first time in over 10 years, they are hoping to prove that they are a legit contender in the NFC.
But in order to do that, they need to play better and improve here in 2026.
One question surrounding the Panthers on offense is the offensive line. The Panthers went out and signed Rasheed Walker from Green Bay, giving him a big deal to join their roster. They also drafted Monroe Freeling out of Georgia to help boost the line.
However, the Panthers will be without Ikem Ekwonu, who suffered a ruptured patellar tendon in his right knee late last season. He's expected to miss most of, if not all of the 2026 season. With those two options there at left tackle, the Panthers are hoping one of them works out.
However, going into training camp, one analyst believes the Panthers still have one of the better offensive lines in the league.
Sharp Football ranked the offensive lines in the NFL during a recent article and they have the Panthers line at No. 12 overall:
Better health and continuity in 2025 helped the unit protect Bryce Young more effectively last season, and the Panthers drafted Monroe Freeling in the first round to compete with Taylor Moton for playing time at right tackle. Left tackle Ikem Ekwonu is still rehabbing a knee injury, but the Panthers signed former Packer Rasheed Walker to fill in if he misses time.
That's a good ranking for the Panthers as they feel like their line has been solidified even with the injury at left tackle. They went out and signed one of the top available tackles and even drafted some insurance for the future.
If the offensive line is able to play to a high level, it will mean good things for quarterback Bryce Young and the offense. That's exactly what the Panthers are hoping will happen and help them get to that next level in terms of being a contender.
