Dan Morgan steadied the ship during his first offseason as general manager. The Carolina Panthers are on more stable foundations, but there is a significant amount of work ahead before this perennial struggler gets back among the contenders.
Morgan took sentiment out of the equation. He neglected the defense somewhat to help quarterback Bryce Young, which was a calculated risk that came with positives and negatives. The Panthers are no longer the league's laughingstock, winning back respect through much-improved performances over the second half of 2024 when all hope seemed lost.
That was the biggest objective above all else in year one under the new regime. They needed to achieve stability in the influential positions across the board. Team owner David Tepper seemed impressed despite the Panthers picking up just five wins, staying out of the limelight and letting Morgan run the football operation as he saw fit.
Adding to this newly acquired continuity is crucial. Morgan is working on a long-term plan and won't deviate from it. There are some core foundational pieces to build around, but not everyone will come along for the ride.
With this in mind, here are five Panthers players who need to be gone before the 2025 season.
Carolina Panthers players who need to be gone before the 2025 season
D.J. Johnson - Carolina Panthers OLB
The D.J. Johnson experiment needs to end. It was a contentious decision to trade up and acquire him at No. 80 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft considering his age and lack of experience as an edge rusher. He's done almost nothing to suggest a long-term future with the Carolina Panthers can be attained.
Johnson flashed promise against the run on occasion. The former Oregon prospect offers almost nothing from a pass-rushing standpoint, which is reflected in his 50.1 grade in this discipline from Pro Football Focus. That ranked 195th out of 211 qualifying edge rushers.
The Panthers need to strengthen their edge options during the recruitment period. D.J. Wonnum and Jadeveon Clowney will be around, but nobody else should feel secure. Depth was almost non-existent. Dan Morgan has nine selections in the draft and this is a deep group of edge rushers. Taking advantage of it is crucial.
What the means for Johnson's future is anyone's guess. He'll be 27 years old next season — his third in the league. If the right reinforcements are acquired, the Panthers can move in a different direction.
Ejiro Evero likes Johnson, but a better solution to Carolina's rotational pieces must be found.