Carolina Panthers 2027 NFL Draft Team Needs: Top 3

Carolina Panthers 2027 NFL Draft Needs

While training camp is a time of hope and optimism for most fans, the same can't necessarily be said for the Carolina Panthers. Not because they're a bad team, but one position that I felt like they had mostly solved is now in question once again.

As Adam Schefter posted on X: "WR Chris Brazzell will undergo season-ending surgery on his torn LCL, as @josephperson reported." That tweet came out on July 30th.

Just one day later, Schefter posted, “Panthers officially placed rookie WR Chris Brazzell on injured reserve, ending his season.”

As someone who was extremely optimistic that Brazzell could be the WR2 for Carolina, this is a huge blow. This doesn't mean that Brazzell can't come back and be that guy, but not only are injuries never a good sign, but it takes away a year that the Panthers would have had to evaluate him.

Considering that Brazzell was drafted 83rd overall, it’s not as if they invested a ton of capital into him. For this exercise, wide receiver won’t make our top three, but it’s certainly in the conversation now. 

1. Tight End

The Panthers already had a need at tight end before the Brazzell injury, but this puts it over the top. Although Brazzell going down doesn't directly affect the tight end group, it impacts the number of quality receivers they have out on the field.

Going back to tight end in specific, Tommy Tremble looks to be the starter while Ja'Tavion Sanders is the backup. Sanders was drafted just outside of the top-100 (pick No. 101) in the 2024 NFL draft but hasn’t done much since.

Sanders has yet to cross over 350 receiving yards in either year one or two. With Tommy Tremble, he’s never had over 300 receiving yards in his career. 

Carolina has to spend significant draft capital to land a major upgrade at tight end.

2. Cornerback

Last year Jaycee Horn had five interceptions while Michael Jackson had four himself. Horn is a legitimate CB1 in the NFL, and at 26 years old, this isn’t something the Panthers have to worry about.

The problem is that once you get past Jackson, Chau Smith-Wade was the only other cornerback with another interception. 

What Jackson did last season was a bit of an outlier compared to his production prior, and he's now 29 years old. With Jackson set to become a free agent in 2027, I’m not sure the right move is to bring him back.

If the Panthers can get another great cornerback opposite Horn, that would take their defense to another level.

3. Running Back

This could change, but the Panthers really don't have a ton of holes on their roster. Again, depending on how wide receiver shakes out and even the offensive tackle with Ikem Ekwonu set to become a free agent in 2027, running back wouldn’t be ranked nearly as high.

That said, there’s a lot of risk in this backfield. Chuba Hubbard is coming off a down year, and even if he bounces back, he’s now 27 years old. The Panthers likely won’t fully move on from him given that he’s not a free agent until 2029, but instead slot him into an RB2 role. 

As for Jonathon Brooks, he’s 23 years old, and the Panthers spent pick No. 46 on him back in the 2024 NFL draft. But even with the great reports coming out, his injury history is still a massive risk.