How the Carolina Panthers 2026 First Round Pick Fits Their Short and Long-Term Goals
With the 19th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Carolina Panthers selected offensive tackle Monroe Freeling. After much offseason speculation and some big free agent signings, the wait is over. The Panthers had many different routes they could have taken, but stayed committed to keeping their offense moving. Let’s look at how Freeling will slot into Carolina’s plans moving forward.
Monroe Freeling and the Future
Freeling is a big body. His size is prototypical for a starting tackle, standing at six-foot-seven and weighing 315 pounds. He is also an athletic specimen for his size. ESPN’s Next Gen Stats has Freeling with an athleticism score of 91, placing him second amongst all tackles at the combine. The former Georgia Bulldogs’ measurables and athleticism alone place him as a pick with massive potential.
Freeling should immediately find a role in the rotation, if not a Week One starter. His immediate contribution is where he fits into the Panthers’ short-term goals. A starting tackle is essential to the team’s success. Particularly for franchise quarterback Bryce Young.
Young is a smaller quarterback. The 24-year-old needs space in the pocket to succeed. He needs to be able to take a step forward and plant his foot to be an elite quarterback. We’ve seen it before: when Young has space, he might be one of the league’s best quarterbacks. Space is hard to come by in the modern NFL, with teams investing heavily in the pass rush, making Freeling even more crucial for the upcoming season.
Long-term, the 19th pick will hopefully develop into an elite tackle. Elite offensive linemen are so hard to come by. Franchises that tackle rarely, if ever, hit free agency, somehow making them even harder to come by. Freeling is already off to a great start with its measurables alone. The overhauled coaching staff has also been doing some great work molding prospects into respectable NFL players. The former Georgia star tackle is in a good house and should develop quite nicely alongside an offensive line full of veterans.
The Elephant in the Room
The Panthers are facing a serious depth problem on the offensive line. To make matters worse, the future looms. In 2022, Carolina made their first major investment in the line. Sitting pretty with the sixth pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Panthers took Ikem Ekwonu. Ekwonu has been the starter since Carolina drafted him. Becoming a solid option on the line, cementing his place on the team.
Unfortunately, everything took a turn for the worse. During a successful campaign into the playoffs, ‘Ickey’ ruptured his patellar tendon in the Wild Card Round. A ruptured patellar tendon is a massive injury that players don’t come back from the same way. To make matters even worse, an injury of this magnitude so late in the season means the Ickey will be out for most, if not all, of the 2026 season.
The loss of Ekwonu leaves a substantial hole in the offensive line. Good tackles are a dime a dozen in the NFL, making them incredibly hard to replace. Especially a guy who has started every game of his career. Making some offseason magic happen, executive vice president Brandt Tillis was beginning to reach the bottom of the team's pockets. Leaving starting center Cade Mays off to the side, eventually leaving for Detroit.
A Bright Future
Things overall are looking great in Carolina. Fresh off a playoff appearance, there is a lot to be excited about. The current regime has shown that it means business. From head coach Dave Canales to general manager Dan Morgan, they are consistently taking strides to make the team better. The Panthers are close to being an elite team. Don’t be surprised when they make a huge splash in the 2026 NFL season.
