Panthers hosting former first-round pick for tryout during rookie minicamp — he actually could be an underrated addition
The Carolina Panthers will be hosting rookie minicamp this week, which will also feature a few veteran players coming in for a tryout including a former first-round pick.
The Carolina Panthers are gearing up for rookie minicamp, which kicks off on Friday and continues throughout the weekend, and the players have already arrived in Charlotte.
The Panthers will have all seven 2026 draft picks in attendance along with 10 undrafted free agents that have already been signed. Teams also use rookie minicamp to hold tryouts for other unsigned UDFAs and occasionally even unsigned veterans.
The latter is exactly what the Panthers plan to do this weekend with a 25-year-old former first-round pick who’s expected to be on the field.
Carolina Panthers hosting a tryout at rookie minicamp for IOL Kenyon Green
Kenyon Green, the former 15th overall pick by the Houston Texans in the 2022 NFL Draft, will be in attendance at the Panthers rookie minicamp, first reported by Panthers Statement on X and later confirmed by Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer.
Despite being a highly selected player, Green is attempting to join his fourth team in five years since being drafted. Green started 14 games for the Texans as a rookie at left guard, allowing four sacks and 47 pressures. In 2023, Green missed the entire season due to a shoulder injury and started nine games in 2024 before suffering another shoulder injury.
Houston traded Green to the Philadelphia Eagles in March of 2025 and initially planned to stash him on the practice squad before waiving him in late September. Green finished out the 2025 season on the Baltimore Ravens practice squad before being released in January.
Clearly, this is a revitalization project for the Panthers and it’s a low-risk move. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers tried a similar approach hosting Green for a work out last month but didn’t follow through with a contract.
If Green impresses this time around, he could land himself a deal in Carolina instead.
Panthers could upgrade the interior depth, so it doesn’t hurt kicking the tires on Green
Offensive guard is a position I kept coming back to on Day 3 in mock drafts for the Panthers. Behind Damien Lewis and Rob Hunt, the guard position in Carolina consists of Chandler Zavala, Saahdiq Charles, Joshua Gray, and Ja’Tyre Carter. Green could bring some more competition to that room if he proves himself in front of the staff.
Plus, with Lewis and Hunt, the Panthers have two 29-year-old starting guards that both missed some time last season. Green is still only 25-years-old and could bring quality depth. This could turn into nothing, but it could also be something.