The talented defensive tackle's $24 million in average annual compensation will make him the league's fourth highest-paid defensive tackle behind the Chiefs' Chris Jones, the Raiders' Christian Wilkins and the Ravens' Justin Madubuike. Brown thrived in the 3-4 scheme implemented in Carolina last season, recording a career-high 103 tackles, including 2.0 sacks, an interception and five additional passes defensed.

Kownack suggests Brooks will be worked in slowly, even if he's ready to take the field in the Panthers' first training camp practice. However, despite the fact the rookie shares the running back room with an accomplished veteran trio of Chuba Hubbard, Miles Sanders and Rashaad Penny, Kownack makes a case for Brooks to eventually earn a substantial role after the team traded up to select him.

Marshall requested a trade during the 2023 season, but he has the chance to benefit from a fresh start with a new coaching staff in Carolina, and coach Dave Canales praised the receiver's performance in spring practices. Nonetheless, Kaye views Marshall as far from a lock to make the team. Veterans Diontae Johnson and Adam Thielen are locks to make the squad while 2023 second-round pick Jonathan Mingo and 2024 first-round pick Xavier Legette -- who is nursing a hamstring injury -- both offer high upside as recent early draft picks. Ihmir Smith-Marsette offers more on special teams than Marshall, and the Panthers would gain $1.44 million in cap space by cutting or trading Marshall.

Smith-Marsette's speed and versatility will likely earn him a role in new coach Dave Canales' offense if the 24-year-old wide receiver continues to impress on offense. He's a safe bet to make Carolina's roster, as Smith-Marsette is also a prominent special teams contributor, having returned a punt for a touchdown last season.

The Panthers bolstered their receiving corps by trading for Diontae Johnson and drafting Xavier Legette -- who is battling a hamstring injury -- in the first round. Nonetheless, Thielen is expected to reprise a prominent role in his age-34 season after leading the team with 103 catches and 1,014 receiving yards in 2023.

The position is likely to be featured more in the passing game under new head coach Dave Canales, and there's nowhere to go but up as over the last four seasons, Carolina has ranked last in the NFL in tight end production. Thomas' roster spot is secure due to his blocking ability, but he's also been the more consistent receiver this spring ahead of 2024 fourth-round pick Ja'Tavion Sanders and 2021 third-round pick Tommy Tremble. Thomas hasn't caught more than 36 passes in a season since he was a rookie in 2018, but he still possesses good size and athleticism and could emerge as a red-zone option for quarterback Bryce Young.

The embattled 2023 first overall pick struggled through a nightmarish rookie season, but this offseason's hiring of head coach Dave Canales, who worked wonders with Baker Mayfield in Tampa Bay last season, was largely a move to salvage Young's career. It appears to be working well thus far, with positive reports emerging about Young's performance in OTAs and minicamps. Those, combined with Brooks' belief in Canales' coaching acumen and his ability to shape the offense into a quarterback-friendly system, makes the analyst a believer that a bounce-back year for Young could be in the offing.

The 26-year-old edge rusher was signed as a free agent in the offseason after recording eight sacks and a career-high 62 tackles with the Vikings in 2023. Wonnum has yet to practice with his new club, however, putting his availability for camp in serious doubt. He still has time to get healthy prior to Week 1, but he'll need to show progress soon.

Johnson's remark came after he was asked about all the big-money deals recently signed by wide receivers. While he's unlikely to be paid in the same ballpark as the likes of Justin Jefferson, Johnson could still benefit from the increasing monetary value being placed on the wide receiver position. Johnson's entering the final season of a two-year, $36.7 million contract he signed with the Steelers. He was traded to Carolina in the offseason and is open to signing an extension with his new team despite having yet to have played in a game for the Panthers.

Coach Dave Canales said Young had his best day operating the offense Tuesday. He still made some notable mistakes, including an interception at the goal line, but he was praised for his comfort and familiarity with the offense. Wide receiver Diontae Johnson also noted that Young is both making his reads and getting rid of the ball faster compared to earlier offseason sessions.

Newton notes that Carolina tight ends over the past four seasons have ranked last in catches, receiving yards and touchdowns. Head coach Dave Canales said Wednesday that he's bringing in a "tight end friendly" scheme to Carolina's offense that he utilized as the offensive coordinator in Tampa Bay, which should give Sanders the chance to establish himself as a reliable target for quarterback Bryce Young in the passing game. Sanders, who was taken in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, accumulated 99 catches for 1,295 yards and seven touchdowns over his final two seasons at Texas.

Hubbard ultimately helmed the Panthers' ground game in 2023 despite the addition of Miles Sanders, posting a career-high 902 rushing yards and complementing them with a career-best 39-233-0 line through the air. Blair notes that while Carolina has added competition at running back for a second straight offseason in the form of second-round pick Jonathon Brooks, new head coach Dave Canales could lean on the versatile and ultra-reliable Hubbard as he tries to design an offense that's comfortable for embattled second-year quarterback Bryce Young.

Canales has had a lot of success in his coaching career when it comes to getting the best out of his quarterbacks, as both Russell Wilson and Geno Smith thrived with Canales on the coaching staff in Seattle, and he was Tampa Bay's offensive coordinator last season when Baker Mayfield had a breakout campaign. Young is coming off a disastrous rookie season in Carolina, but the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft has been given the supporting cast to take a big step forward in 2024.

Bowen notes that Young averaged just 5.5 yards per attempt to tight ends last season, so bringing in the 6-foot-4, 245-pound Sanders will cause mismatches against defensive backs in the Panthers' passing game designed by head coach Dave Canales. Sanders was the fourth tight end taken in the 2024 NFL Draft behind Brock Bowers, Ben Sinnott and Tip Reiman. Sanders spent two seasons with Texas and accumulated 99 catches for 1,295 yards and seven touchdowns over that span.

Head coach Dave Canales noted after practice that Plummer and quarterback Sean Chambers spent much of the sessions "trying to catch up to the speed and explosion of [Legette] coming out of his breaks." The lack of chemistry between Legette and the quarterbacks during rookie minicamp led to passes above and behind the South Carolina wideout, but with OTAs set to start Monday, he will start to build an on-field rapport with 2023 first overall pick Bryce Young. Legette broke out in his final season at South Carolina, finishing with 71 catches for 1,255 yards and seven touchdowns.

Hubbard closed the 2023 season as Carolina's starter after he overtook Miles Sanders on the depth chart. While the team went on to select Jonathan Brooks in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, the rookie is recovering from a torn ACL and will have his workload monitored at the beginning of the season. As Brooks ramps up, Hubbard will likely see the majority of carries out of the backfield, but he'll see his role decrease as the season progresses.

The Panthers traded up for Brooks in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft despite already having both Chuba Hubbard and Miles Sanders in their backfield. However, that depth will allow Brooks -- recovering from a torn ACL -- to slowly take over the majority of carries. Hubbard is instead expected to shoulder most of the workload initially.

The Panthers traded back into the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft to select Legette 32nd overall. Coach Dave Canales' time with Metcalf while in Seattle could be a potential explanation for Carolina's interest in Legette. He isn't the same elite athlete as Metcalf, but Legette does have a similar frame at 6-foot-3 and 227 pounds.

The Panthers made a flurry of moves during the 2024 NFL Draft, one of which was trading up from pick 52 to pick 46 in the second round to select Brooks. While Brooks' physicality and contact balance in a 6-foot, 216-pound frame allowed him to average over 6.0 yards per carry in each of his three years at Texas and have drawn comparisons to Samuel, Brooks had only 54 touches across his first two years before a 212-touch season in 2023. Brooks is also recovering from a torn ACL suffered in November, so he hasn't shown the ability to handle a large workload for an extended period.

The additions of wideout Xavier Legette, running back Jonathan Brooks and tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders were all designed to provide Young with more dynamic playmakers after the quarterback struggled badly as a rookie working with veterans like Adam Thielen and Miles Sanders. Carolina also revamped its offensive line in free agency while trading for Diontae Johnson, so the pressure is now on Young to begin to justify being the first overall selection in 2023.

The Panthers picked Sanders 101st overall out of Texas with the first pick of Day 3 in the 2024 NFL Draft. Tremble started seven of Carolina's last eight games in 2023 as Hayden Hurst was sidelined by a concussion, and Hurst subsequently signed with the Chargers, leaving Tremble as the Panthers' top tight end heading into this season prior to the addition of Sanders.

Brooks is recovering from a torn ACL suffered in November while playing for Texas, but that didn't stop him from being the first running back drafted in 2024 at 46th overall. Sanders has a chance to carve out a larger role under a new coaching staff after losing the starting job to Chuba Hubbard last year, but the former Eagles running back will be fighting an uphill battle for touches against both Brooks and Hubbard.

Brooks is recovering from a torn ACL suffered in November, but if the running back out of Texas is healthy by the start of the season, he's likely to surpass both Hubbard and Miles Sanders on Carolina's running back depth chart. At 46th overall, Brooks was the first running back selected in the 2024 NFL Draft. Hubbard led the Panthers with 902 rushing yards on 238 carries in 2023.

Sanders began the 2023 season as Carolina's starting running back after signing a four-year, $25.4 million contract, but he quickly lost the top job to Chuba Hubbard and finished with only 432 rushing yards to Hubbard's 902. The change in coaching staff could prove beneficial for Sanders, who will have a fresh start and a chance to carve out a larger role after his disappointing debut season with the Panthers.

Hubbard supplanted Sanders as Carolina's top backfield option in the first half of the 2023 season. All told, Hubbard finished with 902 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 238 carries to Sanders' 432 rushing yards on 129 attempts. Sanders has three years left on a four-year, $25.4 million contract, while Hubbard is entering the final season of his four-year rookie deal. Given the team's larger monetary commitment to Sanders, Hubbard could cede a larger share of carries to Sanders than he did last season with their slates wiped clean in front of a new coaching staff.

The talented defensive tackle's $24 million in average annual compensation will make him the league's fourth highest-paid defensive tackle behind the Chiefs' Chris Jones, the Raiders' Christian Wilkins and the Ravens' Justin Madubuike. Brown thrived in the 3-4 scheme implemented in Carolina last season, recording a career-high 103 tackles, including 2.0 sacks, an interception and five additional passes defensed.