CHARLOTTE — Well, that was fun. What's next?

There's so much buildup to the NFL's schedule release every year, and make no mistake, we had a blast making it. (See what I did there.)

And now we know, and it all gets a little more tangible.

Blowing stuff up will never get old; the reactions of the players and executives on hand confirmed that. And as Billy Sol Hurok would say, we blowed it up real good. These guys were like juvenile delinquents with bottle rockets, except with way more pop, and you could see that in their faces.

"Smoked gouda," executive vice president of football operations Brandt Tilis deadpanned after a 31.22-pound wheel of imported Dutch cheese went kablooey. And it really went kablooey, with chunks flying over 100 yards downrange. Normally, I'd have tried a piece of it just to say I did, but our friends from CMPD were clear. "I would not eat that," and the tone made it clear that they were not joking, and that pentaerythritol tetranitrate residue wouldn't taste good on a cracker.

But after the debris was cleaned up (we appreciate the neighborhood raccoons handling the cheese part), we were left with a clear look at what the next seven months of our lives are like.

And it's maybe not so bad.

As JJ Jansen and Luke Kuechly pointed out on last night's emergency podcast episode, having four of the last five at home is key for a team that has designs on a second straight trip to the playoffs. And getting to open at home is also huge, for a team that built a very real momentum last season.

Building on that momentum is now the point, now that the smoke has cleared. (And there was a lot of smoke.)

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This schedule is brutal. Can we realistically even match last year's eight wins? — Will, Rock Hill, SC

Well, the Panthers are better than they were this time a year ago, so that's a good place to start.

But I'm not sure the idea of the "first place schedule" is rooted in reality the way people believe it is. In a small-sample sport like football, there's a lot of randomness that people twist themselves into knots trying to turn into trends.

For starters, it's easier to get worse than better when you're already good. If you look back at the win-loss records of division champs over the last four years, you do see a pattern.

The top teams in the eight divisions in 2024 were 21 games worse overall in 2025. The 2023 division champions were just two games worse in 2024, a negligible difference. But the 2022 winners were 17 games worse in 2023, and the 2021 winners were 16 games worse in 2022. When the first-place teams are at least two games worse each the following year (as has happened three times in the last four years), it's easier to not be as scared of that particular boogeyman.

So, as much as we hate to admit, in a data-driven world, sometimes it's dumb luck. If you catch a team in a year when their quarterback gets hurt (like Kansas City's opponents last year, expecting a 15-2 and getting a 6-11), or loses key players or assistants, things can change in a hurry.

The Panthers play six playoff teams from last year, but only three of those are unique to them, as the entire NFC South plays 14 common opponents.

So are they going to win more than eight games? I don't know. But if they don't, it isn't necessarily the schedule's fault.

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Instead of a question, I have two observations that I would like you to react to: 1) The first two draft picks this year reminded me of the David Gettleman "hog mollie" drafts. When in doubt, drafting an athletic big man raises the floor on that side of the football team. 2) Communication (among the offensive line and in the secondary, for example) is so important that a player like Nick Scott is so valuable for his brain, that replacing him with someone with little experience is not profitable. It would be rare for a rookie to start at center or safety in the NFL. — Bob, Aurora, CO

Valid points, from one of the OG FsOTM.

Dave was a mensch, and my standard answer about the draft has been that you can never really go wrong by adding large people, where there's less variance at the top than with other positions.

Defensive line depth is always needed, as we have seen here lately. We saw what happened when they were without Derrick Brown in 2024, and it wasn't pretty. So adding in free agency and two drafts in a row was a natural reaction.

Lee Hunter's going to be in the rotation this year, regardless. He's got early down ability, and will have time to develop as a pass-rusher. But whether it's Cam Jackson or last year's undrafted/practice squader Jared Harrison-Hunte (who they added to the active roster rather than lose him to another team), it's always important to have young guys in the pipeline, because over the course of a year, they all get used.

Monroe Freeling was actually closer to a short-term need, though he'll have to compete for a starting job now. They don't know how long Ikem Ekwonu will be on the shelf, so having him and Rasheed Walker was critical for the immediate prospects of the line.

The point about safeties and centers is also wise. Even Ryan Kalil, who was one of the best centers of his generation, didn't immediately jump into the starting lineup. The mental demands of that position are enough to need time to adjust, while the physical demands, like the Derrick Brown-sized guys across from you, are real. And while Scott is perpetually underrated (he's a perfectly solid starter, ranked 37th of 98 safeties by PFF last year), his superpower is his ability to communicate. That'll keep him employed for some time, though the league is constantly churning, and younger guys are always walking in the door. When one of them proves to be better than Nick Scott, he will have achieved a reasonable feat and the team will be better because Nick Scott's already OK.

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Our O-line has been blessed with players who could play multiple positions. Do you think our new guys might move around, or are they keyholed into one position? — Michael, Glen Alpine, NC

I think for the time being, Freeling and fifth-round center Sam Hecht are probably one-position guys.

Freeling played on the left at Georgia, and that's the side with the easiest path to playing time here. That's not an indictment on Walker or an indication of Ekwonu's physical status, but the reality that right tackle Taylor Moton's really good at his job and is still doing it at a high level.

For Freeling to have a chance to compete with Walker, it makes sense for him to take all his work on the left side, where he's most comfortable. That's what he did during rookie minicamp, for what that's worth.

Hecht is a good-sized player, but he's a different human being than Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis, lacking the same kind of mass as the guys the Panthers have at guard now. Hecht does have the kind of low center of gravity that suggests he can add some strength in the NFL (and they all tend to add strength once this is their full-time job), but for now, he's likely to stay in the middle and push Luke Fortner for a starting job.

And for thinking about linemen at this time of year, I'm making Michael this week's Friend Of The Mailbag. He also had me feeling nostalgic, because my first newspaper job was at the Morganton News Herald, so I'm one of the people who know how to pronounce Glen Alpine correctly.

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Always love the post-draft content that comes out, and I really enjoyed reading about Dr. Eric Eager's "secret sauce." I was wondering if you could expand on that model a bit more.

For teams with front offices that have been established for a while, I've got to think they all develop some preferences and tendencies (i.e. the Panthers and Seahawks' penchants for long & athletic CBs, or Buffalo's tendency to bring in any and all former Panther players)

Do those tendencies get built into the model? — Tyler, Charlotte

THAT'S WHY IT'S A SECRET, TYLER.

The short answer to that is, everything gets added to the model they use to help prepare for the actual draft by doing thousands of mock drafts, and the key is how much weight you put on all the independent factors.

Eager puts everything from advanced metrics from college careers, to media mock drafts, to their own intel into the model, and refines it daily. He was already scoring this year's model during that long break between Zakee Wheatley and Jackson Kuwatch, to make sure the assumptions they went in with match the reality. And now that he's been through two full drafts with the Panthers, he can dial it in even tighter.

Like anything, the more you use a tool, the more useful it becomes.

But the other key factor here is the communication. Head coach Dave Canales talks about "not having synonyms," and general manager Dan Morgan is very clear in the way he talks about things.

And now that they've settled into these spots, they're all speaking the same language.

The Panthers go into the draft meetings with clear expectations for what they're looking for in certain positions, so they're comparing apples to apples. And that might mean that people who are a fit for other systems aren't going to be fits here, and a guy who might be highly drafted elsewhere might not even be on the board here.

That comes by speaking clearly, but also through reps. That's why Tilis openly pushes Eager in their meetings, to make sure the model is as accurate as possible, because they lean on it.

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Hello Darin, I guess this would be more of a rant. What is going on with the Panthers media these days? These daily photos of voluntary workouts stink — 75 or so still photos that you scroll through and have to wait for a reboot every three or four photos (annoying) that you can't even tell who they are in the photo 60 percent of the time. No name on the photo, can't even read their jersey number. These things tell us nothing. What happened to the daily updates about the player and how they did that day, or any updates? Just crappy still photos? Getting daily updates of the day's activities during offseason workouts in place of these useless photo galleries would be nice! — Thomas, Winston-Salem, NC

Everybody boo Thomas for not wanting me or anyone here to have a day off ever. I'm not a machine, and if AI Darin Gantt ever tells you a funny joke, let me know. Besides, we've been blowing stuff up.

It's the offseason, man, and one of the times when there have never been daily updates. Have we spoiled you with the way we produce during the season and during the times when things are happening like training camp? Maybe. But I challenge you to find more or better.

I mean, I'm sure you can find a bunch of crap on the internet written by fans or robots, but it probably doesn't mean anything and definitely doesn't come with any meaningful detail or salient analysis.

Also, I'll have you know, those photo galleries that identify every player shown are lovely. Our photo staff (which just added the very talented Sarah Boeke) is one of the best in the business, and they prove it every day.

I assume you've taken in all our fresh podcast content, from the Happy Half Hour and JJ and Luke, with new episodes this week, or all our video content on the YouTube channel, of which there is a lot and more coming?

I appreciate your interest in what we do, I really do. But daily updates of voluntary workouts in the middle of May isn't a thing that's been a thing in the, ... checks watch, ... 30-plus years I've been doing this, and it's not going to be. When stuff's happening, you won't find any more than you'll find here. Until then, go back to the news archive or our Luke Kuechly Hall of Fame landing page (or the Sam Mills or the Julius Peppers) and make sure you've read every word, because I bet you haven't.

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I have two questions, actually. First, do the veterans show up to rookie training camp to observe the new guys? Secondly, what does Dave Canales mean when he talks about "concepts?" Do not remember that term when I played in high school, way back in the day! Thanks, Darin. You continue to do a great job, and I appreciate how you keep all of us up to date. — Shawn, Milton, PA

You're welcome, Shawn. We do it for the people (except Thomas, I guess).

Nah, one rookie minicamp is all a person really needs in their life, so the vets aren't around for it. The vets and rookies are like ships passing in the night, because the rookies didn't roll in last Thursday until the veterans were through with that day's work. There were still some guys hanging around eating lunch to say hello to, but that's about it.

After the two days of hour-long "practices," they're in there working out with the vets this week anyway. I think the name of the event changes the way people perceive it. If we called it "rookie orientation," that's probably closer to the reality of what's happening, and why you shouldn't overreact to videos of guys catching passes from tryout quarterbacks against air. Perspective is everything.

When Dave talks about concepts, he means the big philosophical stuff. This is how we want to run, this is what we call it. It's like a funnel, you start with a broad spectrum of information, and by the time you get through training camp, you have narrowed it down considerably to the stuff you're really going to focus on through the season.

But I appreciate you being polite about it. Not everyone, cough, Thomas, cough, is able to.

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Rookie minicamp is behind us. We had fewer UDFAs than the last two years, evidence that our selection team is doing a fantastic job (as do you) for the third year of our four-year plan. My faith is buoyed. When OTAs begin, are we limited to the 91 players with whom we will move forward toward camp? I recall the mention that, with all the UDFAs and invitees, we were well over 91. When will potential players be eliminated and the names of the 91 be released? Based on the articles relating to the past weekend, not much was able to be seen other than how much energy folks put forth, how athletic folks were, and how quickly folks could pick up limited teaching and retain it. Is that enough to give fans any indication of a potential diamond in the rough, like we reaped each of the last two years? Thanks for all the good work you do. I never take for granted the excellence of our folks who provide meat to the bone for the faithful fans. — Tom, Garner, NC

Once the offseason starts, they're limited to 90, plus any international exemptions (like the Panthers get for English linebacker Mapalo Mwansa). So 91 is it.

That 91 can always change, but at this point, when a new guy signs, someone has to go away.

And to your point about undrafteds, there are fewer than there have been, because there are more qualified players here, and the roster's getting harder to make. Morgan, Tilis, and Canales have worked steadily to get to that point, so when you're watching practice each day and doing math, you realize it's going to be hard to make the 53.

For instance, third-round wideout Chris Brazzell II got everyone's attention last weekend because there wasn't that much to look at. But having seen tall, thin, fast rookie receivers from Drew Carter to David Gettis and beyond, I can tell you that not everyone who looks sharp in May works out.

And Brazzell walked into a meeting room on Monday with the following people: Rookie of the year Tetairoa McMillan, Jalen Coker (coming off a 134-yard playoff outburst), and Xavier Legette (who has been wearing out the Jugs machine) for starters. And then you add in John Metchie III, and Jimmy Horn Jr., and the eternal David Moore, and special teamers (who always get a spot on the roster people aren't expecting) like Dan Chisena and Brycen Tremayne. That's nine, and keeping more than six is hard.

The undrafted guys take longer to pop. During training camp, when injuries inevitably happen and the workload gets spread out, some will flash (like Coker two years ago or former practice squad receiver Ja'seem Reed last year). But it's hard to read too much into anything you're seeing now during the voluntary workouts, when guys aren't even wearing helmets.

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Curiosity question. Since football is a team sport, it takes a while for the chemistry of a team to come together. I love and understand most of what Dan and Dave are doing. What I'm having a little trouble understanding is the one-year contracts for young players. We seem to bring in young guys who prove themselves over the course of a year, then lose them to free agency the following year. I understand it's a business, and I also understand one-year contracts for older players who are filling in for someone who is unavailable. Still, it's hard to understand us taking young guys who were in a situation where they didn't fit, proving they're good players, and giving them to someone else. — Marc, Indian Land, SC

Giving out a lot of one-year contracts in free agency was largely done for the flexibility of not being bound to certain guys at a time when the roster is under construction. You always have the opportunity to keep them, and if a guy had a good experience in a place, and all other thing$ are equal, then they often want to stay (look at all the one-year contracts Jansen and Scott and punter Sam Martin have signed). The only thing you want as much as good players is options.

Building your team is largely done through the draft, and previously drafted guys who are extended to become part of your core — like Derrick Brown, Jaycee Horn, and Chuba Hubbard. (Undrafted players generally get three-year deals, so cornerback Corey Thornton and kicker Ryan Fitzgerald are here through at least 2027.)

The Panthers have 46 guys under contract beyond the 2026 season, including all of this year's draft picks and undrafteds. That's a reasonable amount, knowing all the undrafteds (or maybe any of them) aren't going to make the roster.

As the team improves and doesn't have to be as aggressive in free agency, guys leaving will also bring back compensatory picks, which are awarded to teams that lose more than they gain each March. The most stable rosters, like Baltimore, generally cash in there by drafting well and developing more guys than they can pay.

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First up, to anyone who's confused, this is Micah from Gastonia. I'm just submitting this from my vacation spot.

Secondly, I recant. I know I'm cooked as soon as I hear any old guy (not just you, Darin) say "Kids these days" (full well knowing I will be one of those old guys come some day [which is why I practice doing so in plays]), and then your explanation proved it. I do in fact need to GET BACK TO CLASS (You too, Zach! Also, I'm going to call it that you're going to tell me to say a currently indefinite number of Yale Larys, so I have to ask a bonus question: What is a Yale Lary?)

Anyways, for my real question: Which undrafted free agent NOT NAMED Haynes King do you think has the best chance to make the roster?

KEEP POUNDING and tell Monroe that we love him too (Shoutout William from Mokelumne Hill)! — Micah, North Myrtle Beach, SC

Oh, we knew it was you.

Yale Lary, of course, is the former Lions safety, punter, and return man from the 1950s who is enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

But someone once referenced an ethical quandary in a Mailbag, and I told them to say three Yale Larys, go forth and sin no more. Neither Gastonia nor North Myrtle Beach is known for its large Catholic populations, so you may not be familiar with the prayers for which the long forward passes as time expires are named, which priests would often prescribe in bulk following confession (depending on how much you had to confess).

What can I say, this is a multicultural 'Bag. Also, from studying many of the world's religions, I've learned that most of them talk about all the same stuff; they just have different words for it. Be kind to people, take care of your neighbors, especially the less fortunate, feed the hungry, etc. And because I like football history, religion in general, and clever wordplay, it was just a joke that made me laugh.

As for undrafteds, I'm not sure any of them make the roster at all. I'm not sure all the draft picks do. The roster has gotten better to the point that it's no longer assumed. If you see salary guarantee numbers for undrafteds, it's worth comparing them to the practice squad salary for the year (for rookies this year, $247,500), and realizing that might be the plan. Keeping three quarterbacks is a luxury, and King would have to have an incredible preseason to keep him as the third, because that would force them to cut into positions where you more often need a surplus (like linemen or receivers).

So now go forth, and you'd better say four Yale Larys, because I know what young people do in North Myrtle Beach, especially the ones from Gastonia.

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Darin, here is the Older Guy checking in from Stuttgart, Germany. I believe Dave and Dan have done a fantastic job rebuilding this team over the last two years, and what they have done this year absolutely caps it. All I can say is I truly believe the Panthers are going to make some serious noise this season. The O-Line, D-Line, secondary, RB, and WR Rooms are set. I am very pleased with the QB room improvement. Bryce, Kenny, and Will will definitely compete, and this should motivate Bryce to take it up to the next step. I am very excited to see if the DAWGS are going to just bark or start biting. Looks like us fans and the team are going to have a very exciting season. For now to start off the season lets just Keep on Pounding. Go Panthers. — Kenneth, Stuttgart, Germany

What he said.

Building talent and depth takes time, and three offseasons in, you can see it on the practice field.

A defense that used to be Derrick Brown and Jaycee Horn and a lot of question marks now includes more answers, and just having Jaelan Phillips and Devin Lloyd out there makes an immediately visible difference.

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And on that note, let's go lightning round, brought to you by the patron saint of the lightning round Jeff from Fuquay-Varina, to close it out this week.

Hi Darin. Excited about the free agency moves and draft results. Are there plans to increase the role of Isaiah Simmons next season? In my view, he can be much more than a special teams player. He could be used as a strong safety or linebacker. — Allan, Raleigh, NC

Having that versatility certainly helps, but the same thing that's true for undrafteds is true for midseason additions. "The more you can do" is one of the league's great axioms, so Simmons being able to contribute in multiple ways helps his chances.

Brady Christensen? — William, Mokelumne Hill, CA

There it is, the weekly Brady Christensen question. He's a beloved figure here in the 'Bag, but the answer remains the same. It'll be July until he's ready to get back on the field after his torn Achilles last year, so it'll likely be a minute before he lands anywhere. I'm sure there's interest, there's interest here, because guys who can capably start at all five line positions are rare.

Darin Gantt, our next mayor? — Zach, Charlotte

I love my city, and will do everything in my power to make it a better place for all Charlotteans, not just the fortunate ones. But I'm not sure me in public office advances that goal. Although, I see two former mayors on Election Day each year, and it would be pretty cool to have people greet you with "Good morning, Mayor."

If I did run for office here, I'd make sure none of my signs had my picture on them, just GANTT in big red, white, and blue letters, and let the public do its thing. Like, stand together in unison and tell you to GET BACK TO CLASS, ZACH, while we still can.

What's your favorite week on the schedule? — Cliff, Cornelius, NC

Would Thomas yell at me if I said the bye week? (Which ain't so bad being in Week 5, because when you consider the early start the Hall of Fame Game creates, that makes it Week 10 of 23, close to the middle, with the mini-bye that comes with a Thursday game four weeks later).

But like JJ and Luke, I love having four of those last five at home, with a trip to Pittsburgh the week of Christmas in the middle. If those games are meaningful, I'd definitely take the chances of having to be outside in the cold that one week, even though that isn't really my deal.

I'd rather be somewhere warm, where it's safe to eat the cheese. (But if I could blow up more cheese, there's definitely room to negotiate.)