Nick Scott - Carolina Panthers S
The Carolina Panthers had a great opportunity to give their safety corps a significant makeover this offseason. Dan Morgan only had one under contract before the legal tampering window opened, and that was an undrafted free agent with minimal NFL experience. Everyone else entered free agency with the expectation they'd take their chances elsewhere.
Morgan acted swiftly to find a new alpha on the backend. The Panthers spent big money to acquire Tre'von Moehrig following his prolific spell with the Las Vegas Raiders. This provides the secondary with a tone-setting enforcer who thrives against the run and holds his own in coverage.
That was about it. Marcus Williams and Julian Blackmon were brought in for visits without a deal arriving. Morgan outlined his desire to secure a top-level ball-hawk during the 2025 NFL Draft, but the Panthers kept some familiarity in the unit by re-signing Nick Scott to a one-year deal.
This raised a few eyebrows among the fanbase. Scott underperformed on the defensive rotation when called upon in 2024. However, reports suggest those in the building see him as a special-teams ace despite very little on-field evidence to support this notion.
It'll be interesting to see if Scott can capitalize on this surprising reprieve. But in all honesty, fans aren't holding out much hope.
D.J. Johnson - Carolina Panthers OLB
Generating pressure was a difficult task for the Panthers more often than not in 2024. D.J. Wonnum's return from injury helped, but the edge-rushing unit lacked legitimate depth or explosiveness. That is something Dan Morgan looked to change at the earliest possible opportunity this offseason.
The defensive front looks sound following the additions of Bobby Brown III and Tershawn Wharton. Morgan bolstered the edge by signing Patrick Jones II from the Minnesota Vikings. He's not an earth-shattering arrival, but the former Pittsburgh standout is a high-effort player capable of wreaking havoc if afforded enough space.
Morgan won't be done improving this group. The Panthers are widely projected to take another promising pass-rusher from the college ranks with one of their first two picks in the 2025 NFL Draft. One couldn't dismiss the possibility of Carolina double-dipping at the spot. This is the class to do just that.
Any more incomings make D.J. Johnson's future incredibly murky. The Panthers took a big risk when they traded up for the Oregon graduate at No. 80 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. It's not gone according to plan to the surprise of nobody.
Johnson has a long road ahead to re-establish himself in Carolina. The Panthers avoided the temptation to outright cut the player immediately. Even so, it's still a possibility further down the line if any incoming draft prospects hit the ground running.