Carolina Panthers president of football operations and general manager Dan Morgan deserves a break following his front office's work from this past weekend. But he can't sit back for too long.
Morgan and company have been met with critical acclaim for their performance from the 2026 NFL Draft. Of the 14 experts we gauged following this year's selection process, eight of them graded the team's haul at an 'A' or higher.
Even still, the seven picks the Panthers made won't fill out every need.
Here are Carolina's four biggest remaining weaknesses following the draft . . .
Despite being heavily linked to Oregon's Kenyon Sadiq and, to a lesser degree, Georgia's Oscar Delp—the Panthers came away with zero of the 22 tight ends who were selected. And perhaps that was somewhat by design, as Morgan told reporters prior to the draft that he felt good about the current state of the tight end room.
Nevertheless, the offense still doesn't have a certifiable receiving threat in that room. In fact, they haven't had one in this decade—with their last 500-yard receiver at the position coming in 2019.
While a respected leader, Tommy Tremble—who has one year remaining on his contract—has yet to prove he can be a consistent threat through the air. And although Ja'Tavion Sanders and Mitchell Evans have had some moments, the Panthers can't bank on either to suddenly fulfill that role.
Carolina did come out with a linebacker, seventh-round pick Jackson Kuwatch out of Miami of Ohio. But if you have hopes of a seventh-round pick cracking the Week 1 lineup, we must remember that—yes—he's a seventh-round pick.
The favorite to start alongside free-agent signee Devin Lloyd is still Trevin Wallace. Given the 2024 third-rounder's struggles and injury history to this point, the defense could certainly use an upgrade next to their new Pro Bowl 'backer.
Wallace has not displayed meaningful growth, particularly as a run defender. He's also had both of his seasons cut short by shoulder injuries.
Like his fellow 2024 draftees in Sanders and Wallace, cornerback Chau Smith-Wade is also trying to cling on to his job. The fifth-round pick hasn't instilled much confidence from the slot, a spot the Panthers have looked into addressing.
2026 fourth-round pick Will Lee III probably isn't the fix they're looking for there, as he recorded just 55 snaps from the inside over the last three years in college.
Running back Trevor Etienne was awfully shaky in Carolina's wild-card round loss to the Los Angeles Rams in January, particularly when he muffed a punt late in the first half. Even though the fumble didn't end up hurting the Panthers, as they forced a turnover on downs on the ensuing possession, it should've served as a warning for the future.
Head coach Dave Canales takes his special teams seriously, He and coordinator Tracy Smith should find a player, whether he's on the roster or not, who is more comfortable (and dynamic) as a returner.
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers offseason: 4 biggest remaining needs following the 2026 draft