Panthers' Rasheed Walker makes strong statement on his standing in LT competition

As far as Carolina Panthers offensive lineman Rasheed Walker is concerned, the job at left tackle is his.

Walker spoke with reporters on Thursday morning, following the cancellation of the team’s final mandatory minicamp session. And through this portion of the offseason, and presumably what’s to come, the fifth-year veteran believes he should be manning the blindside for the Panthers in 2026 . . .

Rasheed Walker says he’ll enter camp viewing himself as the starter at left tackle. “I’ve always had that mentality. I want to be on the field.”

— Joe Person (@josephperson) June 11, 2026

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Prior to landing with Carolina on a one-year, $4 million pact this past spring, Walker spent his first four NFL seasons as a member of the Green Bay Packers. After appearing in just one game during his rookie campaign, he took over as Green Bay’s primary left tackle from 2023 to 2025—making 48 starts over 51 outings.

With the Panthers’ usual starting left tackle Ikem Ekwonu recovering from a torn patellar tendon, Walker has been pitted against first-round pick Monroe Freeling in what should be the team’s biggest position battle of the summer. Freeling, the 19th overall selection of the 2026 NFL Draft, made 18 career starts at left tackle for the University of Georgia over the last two years.

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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers minicamp: Rasheed Walker makes strong statement on LT battle

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