Panthers players on the roster bubble that need to show out during training camp in order to stick around on the team in 2026
The Carolina Panthers kick off training camp in less than a month with competition set to heat up across multiple positions. Here are some of the players currently on the roster bubble after the offseason program that need to step up the next few months.
The Carolina Panthers will return to practice on July 24 for the start of training camp and competition is expected to heat up as players start really competing for starting jobs and spots on the 53-man roster.
Earlier in the week, we broke down the latest 53-man roster projection after everything we learned from OTAs and minicamp during the offseason program. It was a tough process highlighting some of the difficult decisions head coach Dave Canales has to make.
But, that list is far from the end-all-be-all. Multiple players still have a shot to show out in training camp and earn a roster spot. So, let’s break down a handful of players that were on my roster bubble that need to have a strong showing at camp and in the preseason.
Carolina Panthers roster bubble players that need to have a strong showing in training camp
WR Jimmy Horn Jr.
Carolina’s sixth-round pick from the 2025 NFL Draft had some promising moments throughout his rookie season, although it was mainly a few flashes in the pan. Horn finished his rookie year with 11 receptions for 108 yards while playing 148 offensive snaps. However, multiple of those receptions were clutch plays such as his critical fourth-down conversion late in the fourth quarter against the Miami Dolphins.
Horn had a role with this team due to his speed as a gadget player. That changed when the Panthers drafted Chris Brazzell II back in April, who offers a similar level of speed while bringing a lot more to the table with his frame and ball tracking ability.
Brazzell has been shining for this offense throughout the offseason and he’s already put a lot of heat under Horn. At this point, Horn’s best chance of cracking the roster is showing he can offer more to this team. Special teams would be a great place to start after logging just five special teams snaps as a rookie.
RB Trevor Etienne
The Panthers backfield will look a bit different this year after letting Rico Dowdle walk in free agency and getting a healthy version of Jonathon Brooks back on the field. Brooks will be the 1B alongside Chuba Hubbard and I believe AJ Dillon cracks the roster as the RB3 to bring a more physical style of player to the backfield.
The question is whether or not the Panthers decide to keep four backs, and that answer is entirely up to Trevor Etienne. As a rookie in 2025, Etienne had 20 carries for 94 yards while also being involved as a returner on special teams. Here’s what Canales had to say about Etienne and what he needs to see more of out of him in Year 2.
“He looks great, he looks fast, we certainly trust him back there returning the ball and the way that he’s grown in that phase,” Canales said of Etienne. “He can help the team in a lot of ways, that’ll help him too. I am excited to see him touch the ball when we get to the preseason and start playing real ball with the guys. That’s going to be exciting.”
CB Chau Smith-Wade
At one point, Chau Smith-Wade was a starting nickel for this defense and played 16 games for the Panthers in 2025. Throughout the offseason program we saw multiple different players insert into that role, including Jaycee Horn. The one that really seemed to impress was Corey Thornton, who would have been the starting nickel in 2025 if not for broken fibula he suffered after 12 games.
Pressure has been high on Smith-Wade all offseason, going all the way back to free agency when the Panthers were rumored to be in the market for an upgrade in the slot. Even though Thornton was standing out, Smith-Wade was doing everything he possibly could to prove his value to this team by aligning at different positions all over the secondary.
“Chau is such a cerebral player,” Canales said. “He’s a guy we really trust, and someone we’ve trained — with our first draft class — and he gives us versatility. He can play the nickel (package), he’s played the safety for us in that position, and to be interchangeable with those positions, you can give different looks. He can also play outside.”
TE Feleipe Franks
Tight end has been a major topic of conversation around the Panthers’ roster this offseason, mainly from the national media that believed the team could have used a significant upgrade. Instead, the Panthers reinforced the confidence they have in the current room led by Tommy Tremble, Ja’Tavion Sanders, and Mitchell Evans.
Last season, the Panthers kept four tight ends on the initial 53-man roster and if they do so again, the fourth guy in the room would be Feleipe Franks. Back in 2023, Franks appeared in 16 games for the Panthers logging 305 special teams snaps. Clearly, that’s going to have to be his direct route to making this team.