Experience seems to have the upper hand along the panthers/364" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Carolina Panthers‘ offensive line here in 2026.
Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer touched on the team’s center battle in the latest edition of his mailbag series. And despite the excitement for their steal of Sam Hecht on Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft, it might be the veteran in Luke Fortner who has the edge in this competition.
Hecht, a fifth-round pick, has the makeup of an eventual starter in the NFL. He’s athletic and technique-driven. However, Fortner has four years of experience and plenty of NFL starts under his belt. With this being a huge season for Canales, Idzik and quarterback Bryce Young, the trio might prefer to have an established veteran snapping the ball in 2026, at least to begin with.
If Fortner falters, the Panthers will have Hecht waiting to take over. Forcing Hecht out there in Week 1, only to bench him if he struggles, would be poor process. So, the odds seem to be in Fortner’s favor before the pads come on. If Hecht (or Samac) excels in joint practice and/or the preseason, the conversation could justifiably change.
Hecht, a fifth-round pick, has the makeup of an eventual starter in the NFL. He’s athletic and technique-driven. However, Fortner has four years of experience and plenty of NFL starts under his belt. With this being a huge season for Canales, Idzik and quarterback Bryce Young, the trio might prefer to have an established veteran snapping the ball in 2026, at least to begin with.
If Fortner falters, the Panthers will have Hecht waiting to take over. Forcing Hecht out there in Week 1, only to bench him if he struggles, would be poor process. So, the odds seem to be in Fortner’s favor before the pads come on. If Hecht (or Samac) excels in joint practice and/or the preseason, the conversation could justifiably change.
After losing 2025 starter Cade Mays to the Detroit Lions via free agency, the Panthers signed Fortner to a one-year deal, $4.75 million deal. He comes in with four pro seasons under his belt, having made 44 starts over 68 career games.
Hecht built up his fair share of reps at the collegiate level, where he started for Kansas State University in 2024 and 2025. Per Pro Football Focus, Hecht did not allow a single sack in his entire four-year tenure with the Wildcats.
Like at center, the left tackle spot is also playing host to one of Carolina’s most important position battles of the offseason. The current frontrunner for that job is veteran free-agent signee Rasheed Walker, who received the bulk of first-team reps over 2026 first-round pick Monroe Freeling at organized team activities.
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