Dan Morgan won the respect of Carolina Panthers fans over his first year as general manager. Some were skeptical about his promotion considering how close he was to Scott Fitterer. His no-nonsense approach and purposeful long-term vision for the franchise got everyone onside.
It wasn't perfect. Morgan's first draft class came with mixed reviews after one season. His defensive neglect resulted in a historically bad campaign from Ejiro Evero's unit. Trading for wide receiver Diontae Johnson was an unmitigated disaster, although the front-office leader deserves credit for cutting the cord before things became too toxic.
The Panthers made some significant improvements over the second half of 2024. They were successful in every contest, but Carolina was much more competitive. This brought much-needed stability to the organization, which is a far cry from the erratic moves under David Tepper's ownership beforehand.
Things are looking up for the Panthers. What's important for Morgan and his staff is building on this newfound continuity and kicking on in the coming months. Something that could potentially see Carolina become a trendy pick for the NFC South championship next time around.
There is a lot to get through before competitive action begins again. With this in mind, here are five difficult decisions facing Morgan during the 2025 offseason.
Difficult offseason decisions facing Carolina Panthers GM Dan Morgan in 2025
Carolina Panthers running back dynamic
Dan Morgan didn't expect the running back position to become a glaring need after drafting Jonathon Brooks and signing Chuba Hubbard to a four-year extension. Unfortunately for the general manager, that's exactly what he's facing.
Hubbard finished the season on injured reserve but should be raring to go by the time early workouts roll around. That's not the case with Brooks, who the Carolina Panthers traded up in the draft to acquire at No. 46 overall.
Morgan did this knowing that Brooks was recovering from a torn ACL. The Panthers thought his long-term upside was enough to take the plunge. He lasted just over two games before suffering the same injury on the same knee.
Brooks will miss most if not all of the 2025 campaign. Miles Sanders is projected to be a salary-cap casualty. That leaves Hubbard and not much else, so Morgan faces a difficult decision regarding Carolina's backfield options alongside quarterback Bryce Young.
Much will depend on Brooks' recovery timeline. But Morgan doesn't have the luxury of waiting around on the off chance he'll be able to get back sooner than expected.
There cannot be any sentiment attached. That's where the problems arise.