Panthers Confirm Battle Between Rasheed Walker, Monroe Freeling: Who Should Win?

To keep it simple, Rasheed Walker has the NFL experience, entering his fifth NFL season, and fourth as a potential full-time starter. Walker has 43 career starts in the NFL up to this point, and has gotten better each year. Walker's best year was in 2024, but in 2025, he still excelled at protecting the QB.

Rasheed Walker posted a 93.8% pass block win rate, which ranked 11th in the NFL last season. If the pass blocking stays on par with 2025, then it'd be hard to not to start Rasheed Walker. Walker also has the size to match up with Freeling. Walker is only listed as an inch shorter than Freeling is, standing 6'6, and weighing 325 pounds.

Monroe Freeling's Case

Monroe Freeling's upside could shine early. Freeling was selected in the first round of this year's NFL Draft, 19th overall. Freeling's frame and athleticism stand out the most. Freeling is 6'7 and has recently bulked up to 325 pounds, heavier than he was at the NFL Combine, when he weighed around 315 pounds. Freeling's athleticism can shine in camp and sway the coaching staff.

Freeling posted a 9.99 relative athletic score at the NFL Combine, which is the second-best score ever for an offensive lineman among the more than 1500 who have been measured in that system since 1987.

On the field, Freeling was one of the best pass-blocking left tackles in the country, earning an 85.6 PFF grade, which ranked 10th in the country. If Freeling shows he can come in and not miss a beat blocking against real NFL defensive tackles, then he could very well find himself starting in week one of the NFL season.

Who Should Win the Starting Left Tackle Spot?

Dan Morgan has stated that Monroe Freeling is the Panthers left tackle of the future, and the long term starter at that spot, as for this season though, at least to start the season, it feels like Rasheed Walkers spot, the Panthers signed him in free agency to a one-year deal, and its a high pressure season fro Walker to earn himself a larger contract after 2026.

The idea of Freeling only at left tackle could be changed as well. Freeling was openly not picky about where he played on the line, having experience at right tackle in college, and even taking snaps at center at the NFL Combine.

Ideally, Freeling's versatility translates to the NFL, and he can get snaps at right tackle and left tackle this season, but as for the week one starting job, Rasheed Walker's NFL experience will rule over all else.