Ian Price | July 28, 2026
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Carolina Panthers rookie offensive tackle Monroe Freeling is facing an accelerated path to the starting lineup as the team works through padded practices at training camp in Charlotte.
Both starting tackles from last season are sidelined. Left tackle Ikem Ekwonu is recovering from knee surgery, while right tackle Taylor Moton remains out after doctors discovered a blood clot in his lungs in late June. The injuries have thrust the 22-year-old first-round draft pick into immediate first-team action at right tackle ahead of the regular season opener against the Chicago Bears on September 13.
General Manager Dan Morgan told reporters at Panthers Media Day last week that selecting Freeling with the 19th overall pick in April’s draft provided critical depth on the offensive line.
“That’s why depth matters so much in this league,” Morgan said. “Drafting Monroe and taking the best player available—it happened to be a tackle—worked out really well for us. We feel really good about him, we’re confident in him, and I know he’s going to attack it.”
WFIR News attended Panthers Media Day on July 22 and spoke with team leaders about the evolving offensive line situation as training camp entered its second week.
Veteran leadership guides rookie transition
Veteran guard Robert Hunt is among the offensive linemen working closely with Freeling as the former Georgia star transitions from left tackle to the right side of the line. Hunt said Freeling has the physical tools to succeed, but emphasized that real game experience will accelerate his development.
“To have a chance to come out Day 1 and compete for a job is special,” Hunt said. “I think he has all the physical tools to do that. He’s young, so I expect him to fire off the ball with an attitude. I’m excited to work with him and see what we can do.”
Hunt added that while practice repetitions are valuable, nothing replaces live game action for a rookie learning NFL speed and complexity.
“I got a thing that I go by: never judge rookies, because I know how hard it is and I know how hard this league is,” Hunt said. “I think you only get better with real reps. Obviously practice is cool, but I think you get better with game reps.”
Pro Bowl defensive tackle Derrick Brown offered similar advice for the rookie tackle, stressing the importance of absorbing coaching and blocking out external pressure.
“I think the biggest thing for Monroe is going to be absorbing the coaching,” Brown said. “Taking in the coaching and not letting the outside noise get to him. We all know this is a different league. Just being able to lean on the guys that have done it, that have been through the trials and tribulations.”
Offensive line communication remains critical
Hunt emphasized that cohesion and communication will be essential for the Panthers’ offensive line as the unit integrates new starters, including veteran left tackle Rasheed Walker, and adjusts to injuries.
“It’s all about communicating—everybody on the same page, over-communicating,” Hunt said. “If we’re on the same page, we’ll be all right, we got a chance. Even if we’re wrong, if we’re all going in the same direction wrongly, we got a better chance than somebody going this way and somebody going that way.”
The Panthers are entering training camp with higher expectations after making significant roster improvements during the offseason. Morgan said the organization is not shying away from championship goals.
“We’re never going to shy away from expectations,” Morgan said. “We have high expectations for ourselves in the locker room, in the building. Our ultimate goal is to win a Super Bowl—to bring a championship back here to the Carolinas and in this city, a Super Bowl trophy.”
Health remains top priority for sidelined veterans
Morgan confirmed that player health remains the top priority as the team monitors Moton’s recovery.
“When you talk about those type of things, in any injury, the player’s health is the most important thing to us,” Morgan said. “You can throw the football stuff to the side at that point. We were just concerned about him. He’s in a good place, doing really well now, which we’re really happy about.”
Freeling will have opportunities to test his skills against veteran pass rushers during preseason games before the Panthers open the regular season September 13 against Chicago. Fans can hear Carolina Panthers football live this fall on Sports Radio WPLY 101.1 FM in the Roanoke Valley.
