Where do the Panthers stand in NFL power rankings after free agency? – Panthers Wire

No team has made more splashes into this year’s free-agency pool than the Carolina Panthers have.
General manager Dan Morgan and his front office began the legal tampering period with a cannonball, reeling in a top pass rusher in Jaelan Phillips on a whopper of a four-year, $120 million deal. They’d proceed to dive a bit deeper—grabbing the market’s top inside linebacker Devin Lloyd on a three-year, $42 million pact, then the top left tackle Rasheed Walker on a bargain of a one-year, $4 million agreement.
So, where do the souped up NFC South champions now stand in the league’s landscape following their active start to the offseason?
Here’s where the Panthers fall across the NFL power rankings as we move through the final few waves of free agency . . .
Rank: 17
Author: Eric Edholm
Take: We’ll find out if the money spent on edge Jaelan Phillips ($120 million over four years) and linebacker Devin Lloyd ($45 million over three years) was spent well, but it appears the Panthers have upgraded on defense. Per NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe, their pursuit of Phillips was informed by their failure to sign Milton Williams in 2025; Carolina refused to be left out in the cold this time. The Rasheed Walker signing was a mild surprise, giving the offensive line excellent insurance while left tackle Ikem Ekwonu works his way back from a ruptured patellar tendon. The O-line might still need further work following the departure of center Cade Mays, but the Panthers appear to be in relatively decent shape up front. I still think they’ll add one more offensive lineman. They’re not there yet, but they’re also not terribly far, depending on how high you think quarterback Bryce Young’s ceiling might be.
Rank: 22
Author: Pete Prisco
Take: [They] spent big on the defensive side of the ball in free agency, getting pass rusher Jaelen Phillips and linebacker Devin Lloyd. Signing Packers left tackle Rasheed Walker to take over for the injured Ickey Ekwonu was a nice move.
Rank: 22
Author: Ralph Vacchiano
Take: They massively overpaid for edge rusher Jaelen Phillips, but he and linebacker Devin Lloyd will still help their defense. Losing center Cade Mays and running back Rico Dowdle, though, isn’t good news for a still-growing quarterback.
Rank: 26
Author: Mason Cameron
Take: As one of the biggest winners of free agency, the Panthers have created a promising outlook for 2026. Devin Lloyd and Jaelan Phillips will revamp a defense that struggled to field top talent in the front seven. While the roster has the potential to make major strides in 2026, finding consistency will be the key. And it all starts with Bryce Young and Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan, who will aim to further build their chemistry.
Rank: 23
Author: theScore staff
Take: The Panthers may not be NFC contenders yet, but they’ve made smart moves to address major needs. Edge rusher Jaelan Phillips and linebacker Devin Lloyd could help improve a defensive unit that ranked in the bottom 10 against the pass and run in 2025. Plus, new center Luke Fortner should start, and Rasheed Walker is a solid stop-gap option to replace injured left tackle Ikem Ekwonu, whose 2026 availability remains unclear.
Follow our free agency tracker for all the latest moves.
Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.

source