Wharton underwent neck surgery in early May and is out indefinitely, Joe Person of The Athletic reports. Wharton signed a three-year, $45 million contract with the Panthers last offseason, and he played just nine regular-season games in 2025, recording 36 tackles (11 solo), 2.0 sacks and a pass breakup. It's unclear if he'll miss any time, but LaBryan Ray would likely handle an increased workload if Wharton's injury lingers.
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passing yards
3011rushing yards
1076receiving yards
1014tackles
65interceptions
5Passing
Rushing
name GP CAR YDS AVG LNG YDS/G TD FUM LST FD X. Legette,WR15100.000.00100C. Hubbard,RB151345113.81434.1111431B. Young,QB16542164.02413.5271416T. Etienne,RB1720944.7225.50226D. Dallas,RB3100.000.00000M. Evans,TE17111.010.10001D. Moore,WR411212.0123.00001R. Dowdle,RB172361,0764.65363.3622951A. Dalton,QB45-2-0.41-0.50200J. Horn Jr.,WR138698.6255.30003Receiving
name GP REC TGTS YDS AVG TD LNG YDS/G YAC FD X. Legette,WR1535643631033624.275.018B. Tremayne,WR1614181601102610.058.07C. Hubbard,RB153039223733514.9291.012H. Renfrow,WR6152689621514.824.08T. Etienne,RB1733134070.811.01J. Coker,WR1133433941233435.8102.022M. Evans,TE171925171922510.1108.09T. McMillan,WR17701221,0141474359.6269.055D. Moore,WR41155051.30.00R. Dowdle,RB173950297813617.5350.014T. Tremble,TE172737249925414.6164.010J. Horn Jr.,WR131115108100348.371.04J. Mitchell,TE5332890115.621.02J. Sanders,TE132934190711814.686.08Defense
TacklesSacksInterceptionsFumblesname GP SOLO AST TOTAL SACK SCKYDS TFL PD INT TD FF FR FTD B. Martin-Scott, LB17 1 7 8 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 C. Thornton, CB12 7 5 12 0 0 0 3 0 0 1 0 0 L. Ransom, SAF16 18 26 44 1 8 2 2 1 0 1 0 0 D. Campbell, WR2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 D. Johnson, LB4 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 R. Rochell, CB4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 B. Brown III, NT17 13 18 31 0.5 3 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 B. Basham, DL3 1 3 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 C. Jackson, DT9 2 7 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 T. Gipson, OLB9 5 6 11 1 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 B. Tremayne, WR16 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 C. Hubbard, RB15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 D. Richardson, SAF13 2 2 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 P. Umanmielen, OLB16 10 10 20 1.5 12.5 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 M. Njongmeta, LB15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 N. Scourton, OLB17 20 27 47 5 31.5 7 1 0 0 1 0 0 A. Robinson, DT17 21 44 65 2.5 28 3 3 0 0 0 1 0 D. Lewis, G16 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 D. Dallas, RB3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 C. Rozeboom, LB15 59 63 122 2 9 7 3 1 0 1 1 0 N. Scott, FS17 63 46 109 0 0 0 3 1 0 0 1 0 T. Wallace, LB12 36 25 61 2 12 5 4 0 0 0 0 0 T. Wharton, DT9 11 25 36 2 8 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 M. Jackson, CB17 54 14 68 0 0 4 19 4 0 1 0 0 D. Wonnum, DE16 19 23 42 3 13 4 3 1 0 0 1 0 C. Smith-Wade, CB16 42 13 55 0 0 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 P. Jones II, OLB4 6 3 9 1 7 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 C. Cherelus, LB14 12 17 29 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 T. Incoom, OLB17 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 T. Thomas, SAF1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 S. Martin, P17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 T. McMillan, WR17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 J. Horn, CB16 26 11 37 0 0 1 8 5 0 0 0 0 D. Brown, DT17 33 40 73 5 32.5 5 7 0 0 1 0 0 A. Evans, CB16 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 J. Crumedy, DT3 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 L. Ray, DE13 7 6 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 I. Ekwonu, T15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 I. Simmons, SAF5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 R. Dowdle, RB17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 R. Hunt, G2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 K. King, CB1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 T. Moehrig, SAF16 65 38 103 3 21 14 2 1 0 0 0 0 T. Moton, T16 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 T. Tremble, TE17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 A. Dalton, QB4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 K. Barnes, LB7 5 15 20 0.5 0.5 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 J. Sanders, TE13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 -
passing yards
264rushing yards
46receiving yards
134tackles
5interceptions
1Passing
name GP CMP ATT CMP% YDS YDS/G TD INT SACK SYL RTG B. Young,QB1214052.5%264264.01121471.3Rushing
name GP CAR YDS AVG LNG YDS/G TD FUM LST FD C. Hubbard,RB113463.5846.02004B. Young,QB13248.01624.01001T. Etienne,RB1144.044.00100R. Dowdle,RB1591.889.00000Receiving
name GP REC TGTS YDS AVG TD LNG YDS/G YAC FD X. Legette,WR11488088.04.00B. Tremayne,WR10100000.00.00C. Hubbard,RB1241370713.020.01J. Coker,WR191213415152134.056.05M. Evans,TE10100000.00.00T. McMillan,WR157811602281.020.05R. Dowdle,RB11266066.011.00T. Tremble,TE13322701122.014.01J. Horn Jr.,WR10200000.00.00J. Mitchell,TE10100000.00.00Defense
TacklesSacksInterceptionsFumblesname GP SOLO AST TOTAL SACK SCKYDS TFL PD INT TD FF FR FTD B. Martin-Scott, LB1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 L. Ransom, SAF1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 B. Brown III, NT1 3 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 T. Gipson, OLB1 2 0 2 1 9 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 B. Young, QB1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 M. Njongmeta, LB1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 N. Scourton, OLB1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 A. Robinson, DT1 2 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 C. Rozeboom, LB1 5 4 9 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 N. Scott, FS1 4 5 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 T. Wharton, DT1 1 1 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 M. Jackson, CB1 1 2 3 0 0 0 4 1 0 0 0 0 D. Wonnum, DE1 2 3 5 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 C. Smith-Wade, CB1 3 1 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 C. Cherelus, LB1 4 5 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 J. Horn, CB1 2 2 4 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 D. Brown, DT1 4 1 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 I. Simmons, SAF1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 T. Moehrig, SAF1 1 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Panthers Depth Chart
Panthers Injury Report
Wharton underwent neck surgery in early May and is out indefinitely, Joe Person of The Athletic reports. Wharton signed a three-year, $45 million contract with the Panthers last offseason, and he played just nine regular-season games in 2025, recording 36 tackles (11 solo), 2.0 sacks and a pass breakup. It's unclear if he'll miss any time, but LaBryan Ray would likely handle an increased workload if Wharton's injury lingers.
Prentice signed with the Panthers as an undrafted free agent Thursday, Kassidy Hill of the team's official site reports. Prentice had a decent freshman season at Alabama with a 31-337-2 line over 13 games, but he never really progressed from there, topping out at 380 yards and six touchdowns as a senior at Baylor. He's undersized (5-foot-10, 184 pounds) but showcased 4.37 40-yard dash at his pro day, and he'll need to make an impact on special teams to have a chance at the 53-man roster.
The Panthers have officially exercised the fifth-year option on Young's rookie contract, Darin Gantt of the team's official site reports. The anticipated move will keep the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft under contract with Carolina through the 2027 season. The 24-year-old is coming off a career year in 2025, during which he set new highs in passing yards (3,011), TDs (23), completion percentage (63.6) and passer rating (87.8), among other other categories, over the course of 16 regular-season contests. Since then, the Panthers signed Kenny Pickett to back up Young and added deep threat Chris Brazzell in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft, providing Young a player with upside to fortify a WR corps that returns Tetairoa McMillan, Jalen Coker and Xavier Legette.
Brooks (knee) said Tuesday that he's been fully cleared to participate in the Panthers' offseason program, Joe Person of The Athletic reports. Brooks said he feels "close to 100 percent" after tearing his right ACL for the second time in Week 14 of the 2024 campaign. Brooks missed the entirety of the 2025 campaign but appears ready to contribute this season. The offseason has set up nicely for Brooks after Rico Dowdle left in free agency, leaving Brooks as the clear favorite to open the season as the RB2 behind Chuba Hubbard. AJ Dillon was signed to a minimum-level deal but has barely played over the last two seasons, and Trevor Etienne is a satellite back who mainly played special teams as a 2025 rookie.
Legette is facing additional competition for snaps and targets after Carolina selected Chris Brazzell in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft, Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer reports. Legette, a 2024 first-round pick, is coming off a disappointing Year 2 campaign in which he totaled just a 35-353-3 line (64 targets) across 15 regular-season appearances, lower totals than not only Tetairoa McMillan, the 2025 Offensive Rookie of the Year, but also Jalen Coker, who logged just 11 regular-season appearances. As such, Legette projects as no better than the No. 3 WR for QB Bryce Young in 2026, though his role as a deep threat could be challenged by Brazzell, who boasts 4.37 speed and a 6-foot-4 frame. This offseason will be crucial for Legette, as his already-marginal fantasy value will take a steep hit if Brazzell is able to encroach on reps in three-wide sets alongside McMillan and Coker.
Grier is signing with Carolina on Tuesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. Grier will sign on as the Panthers' third-string QB, behind Bryce Young and Kenny Pickett, providing the team with positional depth in advance of the 2026 NFL Draft. A 2019 third-round pick, Grier hasn't logged any regular-season action since he made two appearances as a rookie with Carolina.
Tremayne inked his exclusive-rights free-agent tender with Carolina on Monday, Darin Gantt of the team's official site reports. Tremayne will officially return to Carolina for at least another season after being tendered by the club in early March. The 26-year-old was a regular part of the offense for the first time as a pro last year, tallying 14 catches for 160 yards over 262 offensive snaps spanning 16 regular-season games. He also played regularly on special teams and likely will retain the same role as a depth wideout and special-teamer during the upcoming season.
Coker signed his exclusive-rights free-agent tender with the Panthers on Monday, Darin Gantt of the team's official site reports. Coker was tendered by Carolina in early March and made his return to the team official Monday. The 24-year-old posted a 33-394-3 receiving line over 11 regular-season contests last year, nearly replicating his stats from his rookie 2024 campaign. However, Coker exploded for a 9-134-1 line in the Panthers' wild-card round loss to the Rams, and he could take another step forward as one of QB Bryce Young's top targets during the upcoming campaign.