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For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. While that principle applies to life in general, it can also be very revealing about NFL teams and what their priorities are.
For the Carolina Panthers, we can see where they are putting the most emphasis on their current roster by reviewing how much they are spending at each position.
Let's break down what they're spending and where they rank compared to other teams, according to figures available at Spotrac . . .
The Panthers don't have a very good quarterback room, but at least it's not costing them much in 2026.
Starter Bryce Young accounts for a cap hit of just over $12 million this year. That could balloon to $25.9 million next season if he plays out the 2027 campaign under his fifth-year option.
Primary backup Kenny Pickett represents $4 million and the rest of the cost is negligible for Will Grier and undrafted rookie Haynes King.
At running back, Chuba Hubbard accounts for the largest portion of the pie—with a cap hit just under $7.5 million. They allowed Rico Dowdle to walk, making 2024 second-round pick Jonathon Brooks and his $2.3 million cap hit the next-largest on the depth chart after Hubbard.
AJ Dillon is making the veteran minimum and 2025 fourth-rounder Trevor Etienne is still on his rookie deal.
If Xavier Legette actually steps up and Jalen Coker can stay healthy, the Panthers may have one of the best bargains at wide receiver.
Tetairoa McMillan is on top with his rookie contract costing Carolina just $6.43 million, followed by Coker at $3.84 million and Legette at $3.37 million.
Their only significant free-agent addition here is John Metchie III, who's costing them just $1.9 million. Meanwhile, rookie Chris Brazzell II is even cheaper.
Perhaps the weakest tight end room in the league is at least on the cheaper end of things.
Veteran Tommy Tremble has the biggest cap hit here, coming in at $8 million. Ja'Tavion Sanders, Mitchell Evans, Feleipe Franks and James Mitchell are all costing the team very little.
Now we come to the big item on Carolina's list.
From left to right, left tackle Ikem Ekwonu is costing the Panthers $17.56 million on his fifth-year option. Left guard Damien Lewis has a cap hit of $16.72 million. Center Luke Fortner is the only cheap starter, with a $2.75 million cap hit in 2026. Right guard Robert Hunt is costing them $24.3 million and right tackle Taylor Moton is at a little over $21.1 million total.
The Panthers also brought in several new backups this offseason—including Rasheed Walker, Stone Forsythe and Joshua Gray. They also invested draft picks in left tackle Monroe Freeling ($3.8 million) and center Sam Hecht ($1 million).
It's not difficult to see that the offensive line is the team's No. 1 priority—and that's understandable given Young's physical limitations. However, if the Panthers are paying for the most expensive offensive line in the NFL, they have the right to expect the best results—and they were far from that last season.
Injuries definitely played a role there, but this unit has to produce more bang for their buck—healthy or not.
Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.
This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: How much are the Panthers spending at each offensive position in 2026?
Continue reading...
For the Carolina Panthers, we can see where they are putting the most emphasis on their current roster by reviewing how much they are spending at each position.
Let's break down what they're spending and where they rank compared to other teams, according to figures available at Spotrac . . .
Quarterback: $18.04 million (22nd)
The Panthers don't have a very good quarterback room, but at least it's not costing them much in 2026.
Starter Bryce Young accounts for a cap hit of just over $12 million this year. That could balloon to $25.9 million next season if he plays out the 2027 campaign under his fifth-year option.
Primary backup Kenny Pickett represents $4 million and the rest of the cost is negligible for Will Grier and undrafted rookie Haynes King.
Running back: $14.06 million (13th)
At running back, Chuba Hubbard accounts for the largest portion of the pie—with a cap hit just under $7.5 million. They allowed Rico Dowdle to walk, making 2024 second-round pick Jonathon Brooks and his $2.3 million cap hit the next-largest on the depth chart after Hubbard.
AJ Dillon is making the veteran minimum and 2025 fourth-rounder Trevor Etienne is still on his rookie deal.
Wide receiver: $24.43 million (23rd)
If Xavier Legette actually steps up and Jalen Coker can stay healthy, the Panthers may have one of the best bargains at wide receiver.
Tetairoa McMillan is on top with his rookie contract costing Carolina just $6.43 million, followed by Coker at $3.84 million and Legette at $3.37 million.
Their only significant free-agent addition here is John Metchie III, who's costing them just $1.9 million. Meanwhile, rookie Chris Brazzell II is even cheaper.
Tight end: $12.82 million (22nd)
Perhaps the weakest tight end room in the league is at least on the cheaper end of things.
Veteran Tommy Tremble has the biggest cap hit here, coming in at $8 million. Ja'Tavion Sanders, Mitchell Evans, Feleipe Franks and James Mitchell are all costing the team very little.
Offensive line: $100.49 million (1st)
Now we come to the big item on Carolina's list.
From left to right, left tackle Ikem Ekwonu is costing the Panthers $17.56 million on his fifth-year option. Left guard Damien Lewis has a cap hit of $16.72 million. Center Luke Fortner is the only cheap starter, with a $2.75 million cap hit in 2026. Right guard Robert Hunt is costing them $24.3 million and right tackle Taylor Moton is at a little over $21.1 million total.
The Panthers also brought in several new backups this offseason—including Rasheed Walker, Stone Forsythe and Joshua Gray. They also invested draft picks in left tackle Monroe Freeling ($3.8 million) and center Sam Hecht ($1 million).
It's not difficult to see that the offensive line is the team's No. 1 priority—and that's understandable given Young's physical limitations. However, if the Panthers are paying for the most expensive offensive line in the NFL, they have the right to expect the best results—and they were far from that last season.
Injuries definitely played a role there, but this unit has to produce more bang for their buck—healthy or not.
Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.
This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: How much are the Panthers spending at each offensive position in 2026?
Continue reading...
