Dan Morgan was not going to sit and wait around this offseason. The Carolina Panthers made some notable strides down the stretch, but they were still pretty far off the playoff challengers with just five wins to show for their efforts. That required action from the general manager.
The Panthers wanted to be aggressive. Morgan made that abundantly clear in his media interviews before the legal tampering window opened. Not for the first time during his tenure, the front-office leader backed up these words with decisive movement.
It came as no surprise to see Morgan focus his primary investments on the defense. Ejiro Evero's unit put together a campaign that went down in the record books for all the wrong reasons. The Panthers spent considerable sums to find difference-makers in the trenches and the safety room. They added depth to their edge-rushing options and the defensive second level. Everyone associated with the franchise is hoping this has the desired effect.
That'll help greatly, but it won't be good news for everyone. That's of no concern to Morgan, who's taken sentiment out of the equation and is doing everything possible to put head coach Dave Canales in a better position to start well in Year 2 of his tenure.
With this in mind, here are five Panthers players plunging toward the roster bubble with the main period of 2025 free agency in the rearview mirror.
Carolina Panthers players plunging to the roster bubble after 2025 free agency
Claudin Cherelus - Carolina Panthers LB
Although Claudin Cherelus finished the campaign on injured reserve, the linebacker got more playing time than most anticipated during the 2024 season. This was thanks in no small part to Shaq Thompson's season-ending complication against the Cincinnati Bengals, which turned out to be the final act of his long association with the franchise.
Thompson is looking for alternative employment. Josey Jewell and Trevin Wallace are projected to start, although all signs point to the Carolina Panthers finding another explosive second-level presence during the draft. What makes Cherelus' situation more precarious is an under-the-radar arrival with a previous connection to Ejiro Evero.
The Panthers signed Christian Rozeboom in free agency. He's got familiarity with the scheme and two years of legitimate starting experience with the Los Angeles Rams. The former undrafted free agent out of South Dakota State is also an outstanding special teams performer when called upon.
Rozeboom looks like someone capable of upgrading Cherelus' role. It'll take a big effort from the incumbent rotational player to turn the tide over the summer.