NFL Draft Buzz: Panthers' upturn, Jets' passing woes and Travis Hunter's bigger role

Week 7 of the NFL season promises an intriguing slate of games, including the Jacksonville Jaguars taking on the Los Angeles Rams and the Indianapolis Colts facing the Los Angeles Chargers. In addition, several NFL Draft storylines are developing, which we cover in this edition of NFL Draft Buzz, including rookies like Travis Hunter playing a bigger role for the Jaguars and the Giants’ promising rookie duo facing a tough test.

Are the Carolina Panthers for real

The Carolina Panthers are starting to look like a team that could legitimately compete for a playoff spot after opening the season with a 1-3 record, including a 42 to 13 loss to the New England Patriots. Over the past two weeks, they have scored 27 points in consecutive wins over Miami and Dallas. Now sitting at 3 and 3, and with a favorable matchup against the New York Jets ahead, Carolina has a real opportunity to move above .500 this late in the season for the first time in years.

A major reason for their turnaround has been their dominant rushing attack, which ranks among the top five in the National Football League. Over the past two games, Carolina has totaled 445 rushing yards. Running back Rico Dowdle has been excellent, surpassing 180 yards in both contests. The offensive line also deserves recognition, especially 2021 third round pick Brady Christensen and 2022 first round selection Ikem Ekwonu. According to Pro Football Focus, Carolina’s offensive line currently ranks as the third best run blocking unit in the league.

If the Panthers hope to make the playoffs as a wild card team, they will need this year’s first round pick, Tetairoa McMillan, to continue performing at a high level. McMillan leads the team with 27 receptions for 380 yards, but he has had some issues with dropped passes. One of those drops in last week’s win over Dallas resulted in an interception. If McMillan can clean that up and stay consistent, the Panthers could very well prove they are for real.

Jets passing game struggles

There is no question that the New York Jets have the worst passing offense in the National Football League, and it might even rank among the worst in league history. In their Week Six matchup against the Denver Broncos, the Jets finished with negative ten passing yards, the lowest mark in franchise history and the fewest by any team in a single game since 1998. The offense looks completely lost through the air, and there are major questions about how the team can fix it this offseason.

The biggest problem starts with quarterback Justin Fields. He has never been known for his passing ability, and this season he looks uncomfortable and uncertain in the pocket. Against Denver, he was sacked nine times, largely because he held the ball too long while trying to go through his reads. When he did manage to throw, his accuracy was poor, completing only nine passes the entire game.

The lack of production at wide receiver has made things even worse. Outside of Garrett Wilson, who has seen 56 targets this season, no other receiver has come close to contributing consistently. Josh Reynolds, the team’s second most targeted receiver, has just 12 targets. Rookie Arian Smith, a fifth round pick, has caught only four passes for 24 yards, while veteran Allen Lazard is on pace for his least productive season since 2018.

To turn things around, the Jets must overhaul the offense this offseason. That starts with using their 2026 NFL Draft picks wisely, beginning with their current first overall selection. They need to target a proven pocket passer such as Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza or Alabama’s Ty Simpson. In the second round, they should look to add speed and playmaking ability at wide receiver, with a player like Georgia’s Zachariah Branch being an ideal fit. Signing a free agent like Dallas’s George Pickens could also provide an immediate boost and help take the Jets’ passing game from disastrous to respectable.

Travis Hunter set for a bigger role

One rookie who should have a greater impact in Week Seven is Travis Hunter, the wide receiver the Jacksonville Jaguars selected with the second overall pick. Despite his high draft status, Hunter has had a relatively quiet start to his first season. He has surpassed 60 receiving yards only once and managed just 15 yards last week, his lowest total of the year.

Head coach Liam Coen said one of the team’s main priorities this week is to get Hunter more involved in the passing game. That approach makes sense, as Hunter was my top-rated wide receiver in the 2026 NFL Draft. His elite ball skills allow him to attack the football in the air, and his elusiveness after the catch has helped him record 105 of his 197 receiving yards after the catch this season. He also shows impressive body control and agility, adjusting mid-air to make difficult grabs.

Jacksonville’s push to feature Hunter more prominently also stems from the team’s struggles elsewhere in the passing game. Tight end Brenton Strange, who led the Jaguars with 20 receptions for 204 yards before suffering a hip injury, is now on injured reserve. Meanwhile, their current leading receiver, Brian Thomas Jr., has struggled with drops, failing to secure 14 percent of his targets according to Pro Football Focus.

If the Jaguars commit to running more of their offense through Hunter, the rookie has the talent to become their top weapon and spark the passing attack heading into the middle of the season.

How will the Giants’ dynamic duo fare against Denver?

The most talked about rookie tandem in the National Football League this season belongs to the New York Giants, with quarterback Jaxson Dart and running back Cam Skattebo leading the way. The pair is coming off an impressive 34 to 17 victory over the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. However, this week they face one of their toughest challenges of the year when they take on the Denver Broncos.

Denver enters Week Seven with the second-best scoring defense in the league, allowing just 15.8 points per game. The Broncos not only do an excellent job of keeping opponents out of the end zone, but they also dominate up front, leading the league in sacks with 30, which is 10 more than any other team. That could spell trouble for Dart, who has already been sacked seven times in just three starts.

In the run game, Cam Skattebo has quickly built a reputation as one of the most physical running backs in the NFL, routinely running through defenders and setting the tone for the Giants offense. But Denver’s defense is equally tough against the run, giving up only 89 rushing yards per game and playing with a level of physicality few teams can match.

If the Giants rookie duo can rise to the challenge and produce against one of the league’s most complete defenses, they will have a strong chance to come away with a win, especially with Denver’s offense struggling to find consistency this season.

Top offensive lineman

According to ESPN, the best rookie offensive lineman this season has been former North Dakota State guard Grey Zabel, now with the Seattle Seahawks, and it is easy to see why. He has not surrendered a sack all season and leads all offensive guards in the NFL with an 83.3 percent run blocking grade.

Zabel’s success in the NFL was clear even coming out of a small school. As a 2024 All-MVFC first team selection, he did not allow a sack all season while competing in one of the strongest conferences in FCS football. His impressive strength consistently opened running lanes for the 2024 FCS National Champions and makes him extremely difficult to bullrush. Over the past two seasons, he has given up only one sack. Beyond his physical ability, Zabel has also demonstrated leadership skills that could anchor the Seahawks offensive line for years to come.