It was a baptism of fire for Dan Morgan during his first year as Carolina Panthers general manager. He was part of the old regime, so there was knowledge of how bad things were and how much hard work was ahead. The front-office leader navigated a tricky situation well.
Morgan was a contentious hire among some sections of the fanbase. Many thought a fresh start could be more beneficial. Team owner David Tepper opted to promote the former linebacker instead.
He instilled a sense of professionalism and purpose in the front office. Morgan adopted a business-first model and removed sentiment from the decision-making process. More importantly, he got the billionaire hedge fund manager to step back and let the professionals handle football matters.
The Panthers are on the right track. There is hope for the future. Carolina has a long-term vision in mind and Tepper is giving the project time. Not every move has come off for Morgan, but he's won over even his harshest skeptics.
With this in mind, here are the five best moves Morgan made during his first year as Panthers general manager. We'll start with the most important decision of all.
Best decisions from Dan Morgan's first year as Carolina Panthers GM
Carolina Panthers hired Dave Canales
The Carolina Panthers tried giving a college coach carte blanche. It didn't work.
They tried going down the experienced route with a retread down on his luck. That didn't work either.
Something different was needed for Carolina's next head coach. Instead of being behind the times, general manager Dan Morgan wanted to get ahead of the curve for once. And he had the perfect candidate in mind.
Morgan and Dave Canales knew each other from their time together on the Seattle Seahawks. They shared the same vision for the future. Their previous relationship allowed them to hit the ground running and spark the Panthers back into life.
It wasn't easy. The Panthers got off to a terrible start. Canales remained positive and never wavered from his positive, progressive outlook that resonates well with the modern-day player. He wasn't afraid to make big decisions despite his lack of experience. This was no more evident than when he benched quarterback Bryce Young after just two games.
When Young came back into the lineup, he was a different player. The Panthers' on-field product improved dramatically, becoming more competitive versus some legitimate Super Bowl contenders and securing five wins from the campaign. He was the right man for the job and Morgan deserves credit for going against the grain.
Carolina Panthers interior OL reinforcements
It didn't take long to figure out what Dan Morgan's biggest objective was for the Carolina Panthers. He wanted to improve the offensive line and give quarterback Bryce Young a fighting chance of making a success of his professional career.
Good offensive linemen don't come cheap on the free-agent market. Morgan didn't care, making two significant investments to solidify the interior.
Robert Hunt was the marquee arrival, signing a five-year, $100 million deal to prise him from the Miami Dolphins. The standout right guard breathed new life into the franchise on and off the field, bringing a sense of flamboyance and accomplished production that was sorely lacking previously.
The Panthers also turned to someone Dave Canales knew well on the left-hand side. Damien Lewis signed a four-year, $53 million deal and immediately made his presence felt. His physical aggression, dominant run blocking, and ruthless demeanor were infectious. The former LSU star brought out the best in his teammates to remove the dark cloud from Carolina's offense.
Hunt and Lewis emerged as one of the league's best guard tandems. Their supreme consistency made life easier for Ikem Ekwonu and Taylor Moton on the edge. Even when center Austin Corbett went down through injury, the protection didn't skip a beat.
This was Morgan's first big gamble on the recruitment side. It paid off handsomely.
Carolina Panthers traded for Mike Jackson Sr.
The Panthers needed to act swiftly when their cornerback room suffered a blow before the campaign. Veteran free-agent signing Dane Jackson was projected to start opposite Jaycee Horn. Everything changed when he suffered a hamstring complication and went to injured reserve.
Dan Morgan needed to act with conviction. The Panthers struck a trade agreement with the Seattle Seahawks for Mike Jackson Sr. This ended up becoming arguably the best-value acquisition of his first year at the helm.
Jackson made a seamless transition to Ejiro Evero's scheme. He played more than 1,200 defensive snaps and finished second league-wide with 13 pass breakups according to Pro Football Focus. This was the steady presence the Panthers needed, especially when teams began to get wary about throwing the football in Horn's direction.
Considering this trade cost the Panthers seventh-round pick Michael Barrett, who was going to be cut after struggling over the summer, it was a tremendous piece of business. One that will probably come with a contract extension this spring if head coach Dave Canales' recent comments were any indication.
Big changes are coming to Carolina's defense this offseason. But with Jackson and Horn operating on the boundary, fans can relax safe in the knowledge they have some stability in the secondary if nothing else.
Carolina Panthers extended Chuba Hubbard
The Carolina Panthers traded up in the second round to select Jonathon Brooks at No. 46 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. That was a head-scratcher at the time and left many wondering what the future would hold for running back Chuba Hubbard.
Hubbard deserves praise for bouncing back from an indifferent rookie campaign to carve out a role for himself. Head coach Dave Canales lauded his tone-setting work ethic and emerging leadership throughout the offseason. With Brooks recovering from a torn ACL and Miles Sanders underperforming, the Panthers were relying on the former fourth-round selection heavily.
He duly delivered.
The Oklahoma State product became one of the league's most productive running backs. Hubbard's explosiveness, patience, and contact balance were outstanding. He led from the front when quarterback Bryce Young was benched, taking on more of the mantle and thriving along the way.
Dan Morgan had seen enough. The general manager tied Hubbard to the franchise long-term with a four-year extension before things got more complicated. This was a strange move to those on the outside looking in, but it was well-deserved recognition for an emerging franchise cornerstone.
This decision looks even better now. Brooks lasted three games before he tore the same ACL and probably won't be seen again until 2026. Fortunately for the Panthers, they have Hubbard to pick up the slack.
Carolina Panthers traded Diontae Johnson and Jonathan Mingo
The Panthers were well within their right to trade for wide receiver Diontae Johnson. It didn't cost them much to find out if he could offer something. The player was also motivated to prove the Pittsburgh Steelers wrong after being cast aside for nothing more than cornerback Donte Jackson and a late-round pick swap.
Things looked promising early on. Johnson looked the part over the summer, developing solid chemistry with quarterback Bryce Young and working hard to change the concerning narrative that he was a locker-room distraction. It didn't take long for things to unravel.
Johnson wasn't happy with the Panthers' poor start and let people know about it. This hurt Young and caused unwanted friction. General manager Dan Morgan saw what was unfolding and reacted accordingly, practically giving him away to the Baltimore Ravens and even taking on the majority of his salary to seal the deal.
It was a contentious issue at the time. Looking at how things have unfolded for Johnson since then, the Panthers were right to cut their losses before things escalated.
Jonathan Mingo was a lost cause with no future. The former second-round pick failed to maximize his opportunities and was traded to the Dallas Cowboys for a fourth-round pick. This was great compensation and allowed the likes of Xavier Legette, Jalen Coker, and tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders to get more involved.