The Carolina Panthers certainly didn’t sit on their haunches after claiming their first division title since 2015 last season.

The team was active in free agency and addressed a number of spots on both sides of the ball. Jacksonville LB Devin Lloyd and Philadelphia EDGE Jaelan Phillips were the big fish on the defensive side of the ball. They added some experience to their offensive line in OT Rasheed Walker and C Luke Fortner.

They continued to add size and power to their lines in the draft with Georgia OT Monroe Freeling and Texas Tech DT Lee Hunter in the first two rounds and added a potential playmaker in round three in Tennessee WR Chris Brazzell II.

Overall, there’s a lot to like about what Carolina did this offseason. But there was one move that ESPN senior writer Bill Barnwell did not care for and listed as the Panthers’ worst of the offseason: the signing of QB Kenny Pickett.

ESPN lists Kenny Pickett signing as Panthers’ worst offseason move

“There is a theoretical surplus value opportunity if Pickett does somehow take over the starting job and play well in Carolina, but why did the Panthers move on from Andy Dalton only to pay a premium to bring in Pickett?” Barnwell wrote.

“Pickett has been part of four organizations over a 24-month span, having been traded by the Steelers, Eagles and Browns before finishing up 2025 with the Raiders and signing in Carolina. He has thrown exactly 800 pass attempts over that time frame. His 45.0 Total QBR ranks 28th out of 33 quarterbacks with at least 800 passes over the past four years, and his 0.06 EPA per dropback is last, just ahead of Bryce Young in 31st and Russell Wilson in 32nd.

“Pickett is still young enough to improve, I suppose, but if four organizations have decided he’s not a priority, are the Panthers really likely to find otherwise? Is that possibility worth paying $4 million to explore?”

Indeed, Pickett’s first four seasons have been substantially disappointing after the Steelers drafted him in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Over four seasons with 27 starts, Pickett has 4927 yards passing with 16 touchdowns, 16 interceptions, and a 78.2 passer rating. The Steelers’ offense was pretty stagnant with the young QB under center, and he earned just three starts with Philadelphia and Las Vegas combined.

But Barnwell is astute in noting there’s a reason all three franchises moved on from Pickett, and in relatively short order. And Pickett is still young, so one might think that teams might show some level of patience to try to tap into potential if it’s there. But that wasn’t the case.

So, giving him $4 million dollars, where players like Tua Tagovailoa and Jake Browning were signed as backups for league minimum or near it, felt a bit steep.

Pickett’s contract is too rich for what he’s done — unless he somehow steals the starting job from Bryce Young (very unlikely)

That all said, Barnwell notes the “theoretical surplus value opportunity” if Pickett were to eventually take the starting job from Bryce Young at some point this season. And, in a vacuum, there’s something to that. Getting starter-capable play at $4 million a year would be good value.

Is it possible that could happen? Sure. Some quarterbacks come into their own late, as we’ve seen in recent years with players like Geno Smith and Sam Darnold. But it still feels unlikely.

Young has progressed since he was benched for Andy Dalton in 2024. It’s hard to see him slipping back to where that situation is in play again. That’s particularly the case with the aforementioned offseason improvements that should only help him out.

The Panthers hope they never have to find that out, as they look to take another step forward in the NFC pecking order this upcoming season after finally reclaiming the division in 2025.