Panthers Reveal Week 1 Depth Chart: Takeaways and Analysis

Today, let’s go over our main takeaways from this depth chart.

Chuba Hubbard Still Starting at RB

Chuba Hubbard and Jonathon Brooks have been splitting carries all summer. Brooks looked like the more explosive back, and it seemed likely Brooks would take over the starting job after Hubbard went down with an injury.

However, Brooks was unable to do much in Hubbard’s absence. Brooks had a mostly quiet preseason, and it’s apparent that the youngster didn’t do enough to earn the starting job. We should still expect to see plenty from both backs, but Hubbard is the RB1 for now.

Darren Waller Moving On Up

The Panthers brought Waller in last month after it became obvious that the tight end room is not very good. However, Waller didn’t end up playing in the preseason, so his status became a little unclear.

After roster cuts, Waller and Feleipe Franks were both listed as the fourth-string tight end. However, the veteran is now listed as the third-string tight end, ahead of Ja’Tavion Sanders and Feleipe Franks. It will be interesting to see if Waller continues to move up, especially since Tommy Tremble and Mitchell Evans haven’t been great.

Defensive Line Depth Could Be a Problem

Bobby Brown III, Lee Hunter , and Derrick Brown are listed as the starters on the defensive line, while the backups are Cam Jackson, Aaron Hall, and TeRah Edwards.

That’s definitely not a deep unit. Derrick Brown is one of the best in the league at his position, but Hunter is a big question mark as a rookie, and Bobby Brown disappointed in a big way last year. If Brown or Hunter disappoint, there aren’t great options to fill. Hall is an undrafted free agent, while Edwards and Jackson have a combined zero starts between them.

Pat Jones II Holding Off Princely Umanmielen… For Now

Pat Jones II had his first season with the Panthers ruined due to injuries. The veteran needs to bounce back in 2026, especially now that Nic Scourton is done for the year.

Princely Umanmielen was very impressive in the preseason, though. There was some question as to whether or not the young edge rusher would start, but it seems like Jones is still holding onto the spot for now.