Carolina Panthers edge rushers
Trading Brian Burns to the New York Giants was a gamble by Dan Morgan. One could argue the Carolina Panthers were backed into a corner after the previous regime of which he was part mismanaged his contract situation. According to reports, Scott Fitterer's right-hand man was also on board with turning down two first-round picks and more from the Los Angeles Rams for the edge rusher.
A new contract should have arrived immediately after that. The Panthers lost all leverage and this relationship went past the point of no return. Morgan had no option other than to part ways for far less than the going rate.
This came with a notable drop in production on the edge. Jadeveon Clowney tried valiantly to fill the void but struggled without a consistent option opposite him. D.J. Wonnum's return from injury helped. However, this isn't enough if the Panthers want to enter the wild-card picture in 2025.
Carolina's edge-rushing depth is non-existent. There's enough of a sample size to indicate that D.J. Johnson won't become impactful consistently. Amare Barno is a solid special teamer but nothing more. After that, it's a collection of camp bodies and practice squad guys.
That has to change as a matter of urgency this offseason.
Carolina Panthers tight ends
The Panthers need more productivity from the tight end position. Big changes could be coming to the unit — something that would provide quarterback Bryce Young with another boost entering a critical Year 3 of his professional career.
Carolina got some decent production from rookie fourth-rounder Ja'Tavion Sanders. He flashed as a route-runner and emerged as a consistent pass-catching presence. It's a solid foundation from which to build, but general manager Dan Morgan shouldn't settle.
Tommy Tremble is out of contract this spring. The former third-round selection is a tremendous blocker who's done relatively well when called upon in the passing game. Injuries haven't helped, but another short-term deal is feasible if the money works for all parties.
That's not the case with Ian Thomas. The veteran didn't meet expectations after being hand-picked to succeed Greg Olsen. He surprisingly got a new contract in 2021. That won't be the case this time around.
Feleipe Franks is a decent special teamer and Jordan Matthews is still around. Even so, the Panthers must urgently find a legitimate No. 1 option with long-term promise given the questions surrounding almost everyone in the tight end room.
It'll be a tall order for Morgan to rectify all these issues. If he can, then the Panthers are going to be a team to watch in 2025.