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There's Now a Clear Favorite in the Panthers' Starting Center Battle
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- There's Now a Clear Favorite in the Panthers' Starting Center Battle
The Carolina Panthers have gone through a week of training camp already, and we've learned quite a bit about the team. Unfortunately, there have been a couple of serious injuries as well, which is always an unfortunate part of the summer.
Chris Brazzell II was competing for the WR3 spot, but is now out for the season. Nic Scourton was going to start opposite Jaelan Phillips on the edge, but he's now out for the season as well.
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Elsewhere, there are still a few heated battles going on. One of the most heated battles is between veteran Luke Fortner and rookie Sam Hecht for the starting center spot.
However, after the last few practices, it's looking like the competition is tilting heavily towards one player.
Fortner Rising, Hecht Falling
Coming into this summer, it seemed like most people expected Hecht to just win the job. Fortner has been good-not-great in the NFL , and Hecht was seen as a draft steal.
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Hecht could still end up being a steal, but lately the rookie has been looking more like a rookie. Fortner has received most of the starting snaps during the summer and has looked more comfortable in the role. Hecht has had trouble with even backup pass rushers, and it just seems like he needs more time before being trusted to start.
This isn't the end of the world, as Hecht is still young and can still grow into a good player. Plus, there are reasons to believe in Fortner, at least for the 2026 season.
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In 2025, Fortner played in 17 games for the Saints and earned a respectable 66.5 grade from Pro Football Focus . The veteran had an even better 72.5 pass blocking grade, which was actually one of the best marks of any center.
Protecting Bryce Young and giving him time to throw is definitely a key this year, so Fortner could be the better fit anyway. We saw Cade Mays thrive as the starting center last year in part due to his chemistry with Young, so hopefully Fortner has that same connection with the passer.
Panthers' Offensive Line Overview
There are a few questions surrounding this line. If everybody were healthy, it would be a different story. However, both starting tackles are out for the foreseeable future, so that is definitely worrisome.
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Luckily, the Panthers' other rookie lineman, Monroe Freeling , has looked up to the challenge. Rasheed Walker should be okay starting on the other side, and as long as the two guards are healthy, this can still be a good line.
This center battle is the final piece to the puzzle for this year. Can Fortner be as good or better than Mays in 2026? If he can, the Panthers should be just fine.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Aug 3, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
