Dan Morgan has a lot of hard work ahead this offseason. But for the first time in years, there is legitimate optimism where the Carolina Panthers are concerned.
Morgan was not under any illusions when accepting a promotion to become general manager. He knew the Panthers were in disarray, boasting a league-worst record in 2023 and not even having the No. 1 pick to utilize. This was a long-term project to get Carolina back to prominence. At the same time, the new front-office leader believed there was enough quality to make instant improvements.
That didn't happen initially. Things progressed as the season went on, but there is much hard work ahead.
Fans are hopeful. They became disillusioned and past the point of caring after the team's steady decline to rock bottom under David Tepper's ownership. Morgan wanted to restore pride. Things weren't easy, but the foundations for a brighter future have been laid.
Building on them is the next challenge. With this in mind, here are five genuine offseason positives Morgan must exploit in 2025.
Genuine offseason positives Carolina Panthers GM Dan Morgan must exploit
Carolina Panthers' momentum
Things looked especially bleak for the Carolina Panthers earlier this season. The team benched Bryce Young and found themselves with one win over the first eight games. Fans were wondering (and rightfully so) when this pain of perennial underachievement would end.
Head coach Dave Canales remained positive in front of the media and behind the scenes. His unwavering belief in the methods being installed and the confidence in his squad shone through in their darkest hours. The players recognized this and responded accordingly.
Key men came back from injury. Young came back into the starting lineup and thrived. They didn't win every game over the second half of 2024, but the Panthers were much more competitive.
The Panthers came agonizingly close to beating the Kansas City Chiefs and newly crowned Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. They gained four successes, including a final-day triumph over the Atlanta Falcons. They got blown out just twice, versus the Dallas Cowboys and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Carolina is no longer the league's laughingstock. There is competitive fire among the players and exceptional direction from the coaching staff. That's a good selling point for Morgan during discussions with potential targets in free agency.
Winning back respect was the first objective. Now that the Panthers showed they could hang with anyone when everybody meets or performs better than anticipated, it might make veterans looking for work think twice about dismissing a move to Charlotte entirely.
Carolina Panthers' draft bounty
Dan Morgan made some difficult choices in his first year as general manager. The Carolina Panthers had to do something drastic to turn the tide. This saw the front-office figure decide on short-term hits for long-term prosperity.
Veterans on big money were released. Previously influential figures such as ferocious linebacker Frankie Luvu and out-of-favor safety Jeremy Chinn left in free agency. Morgan also traded Pro Bowl edge rusher Brian Burns to the New York Giants for far less than his perceived value.
That wasn't all.
When the Panthers were struggling before the 2024 trade deadline, Morgan looked to recoup more assets. Diontae Johnson's unhappiness saw him shipped for almost nothing to the Baltimore Ravens. Carolina also moved Jonathan Mingo to the Dallas Cowboys for a fourth-round selection.
This leaves the Panthers with nine picks in the 2025 NFL Draft. It's a rich bounty of assets that also includes the No. 8 overall selection. Maximizing these resources will go a long way to enhancing Carolina's chances of making strides next season.
It's a deep class for running backs, defensive linemen, and edge rushers. The Panthers need help at all three positions, so Morgan should address this via the college selection process.
Taking advantage of opportunities when they arrive is key. Focusing on talent over need will also serve Carolina well.
Carolina Panthers newfound stability
Instability became synonymous with the Carolina Panthers during David Tepper's ownership. The erratic billionaire was extremely hands-on to the team's detriment. He went through head coaches like old socks and couldn't seem to find the right formula in pursuit of getting this organization on the correct path.
Hiring a college coach and giving him carte blanche was a grave error in judgment. Going and an experienced retread (Frank Reich) over Steve Wilks — a supreme leader of men who galvanized the Panthers after Matt Rhule was fired — also blew up in his face.
A change of direction was needed. Dave Canales, Dan Morgan, and Brandt Tilis formed Carolina's new power trio. They had an aligned vision for the future and were collaborative in their approach. This brought some much-needed stability to the franchise.
Tepper is bullish about the future under this regime. He's giving the project time and, more importantly, is staying out of football affairs. Trust and continuity replaced chaos and confusion. It represented a breath of fresh air.
This is a decent selling point for Morgan. One could forgive free agents for avoiding Carolina thanks to the previous dysfunction. Now that there is hope for the future and things are being run differently, it's a much more attractive destination.
Carolina Panthers' potential franchise QB
Bryce Young looked down and out. The quarterback was mercifully benched by head coach Dave Canales after just two games in 2024. Talk of a potential trade and the Carolina Panthers drafting another signal-caller from the college ranks quickly followed around the media.
That was outside noise. Canales never gave up on Young behind the scenes. He was confident that taking the former Alabama star out of the firing line — giving him time to breathe and regain confidence away from the spotlight — would have the desired effect. Fortunately for the Panthers, it brought a positive response.
When veteran Andy Dalton was involved in an unfortunate car accident, Canales went back to Young. He didn't plan on wasting a second chance, seizing the moment and firmly establishing himself as Carolina's top guy under center.
Benching Young lit a fire under him. His improved poise, confidence, and conviction were astonishing. No moment was too big for the Heisman Trophy winner. He made believers of (almost) everybody.
This is exactly what the Panthers had in mind when they sacrificed a king's ransom to take Young at No. 1 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. His impressive career renaissance is something Dan Morgan can take advantage of when the recruitment period commences.
Carolina Panthers' media perception
Players talk. Players read. Players watch sports talk shows and scroll social media. How a team is perceived by the media matters.
The Carolina Panthers haven't been shown in a good light over recent years. That's a major understatement.
They were ridiculed for poor performance and catastrophic management behind the scenes. David Tepper's constant meddling in football matters and his drink-throwing incident at the Jacksonville Jaguars brought shame to the billionaire's door. It also saw fans turn away in their droves, with opposition fans (and players) treating Bank of America Stadium like a tourist attraction rather than a hostile trip behind enemy lines.
Things are different now.
The Panthers are being run professionally with a clear structure. Dave Canales installed belief and competitiveness to a squad that was devoid of inspiration previously. There are some challenging hurdles left to overcome, but they are on the right track.
That's not going unnoticed by those in the media. The Panthers are a trendy pick for a wild-card spot and potentially win the NFC South with a strong offseason. It might not seem like much, but when one factors the other elements into the equation, players and their representatives won't be turning down Carolina outright anymore.
This team is on the up in more ways than one. Morgan must grasp this opportunity with both hands and bring the right characters on board in the coming months.