The Carolina Panthers emphasized strengthening their defense throughout Dan Morgan's second offseason at the helm. Most fans and analysts are anticipating the same trend to continue during the 2025 NFL Draft.
One Panthers insider went a step further, making a daring projection that invoked memories of a disastrous coaching hire that set the franchise back years.
Morgan had to do something drastic after watching Ejiro Evero's unit embarrass themselves from start to finish in 2024. They were no match for anybody, conceding the most single-season points in NFL history and more than 3,000 yards against the run. The coordinator didn't have the starting talent or depth to become even remotely competitive. And the general manager admitted his failure to address the personnel effectively played a part in the team's demise.
That was a mistake Morgan didn't plan to make again. He invested heavily in free agents to provide immediate assistance. Whether he overpaid for some or not is moot; this was the only option to provide more balance to a roster that was much more competitive over the second half of 2024.
Attention now turns to the draft. The Panthers are keeping all options open, but the consensus suggests they'll spend the No. 8 overall selection and more on defense. David Newton of ESPN had a bolder theory.
Carolina Panthers tipped to allocate seven of its nine NFL Draft selections on defense
He thought the Panthers could spend seven of their nine selections on defense this year. This is similar to Matt Rhule's approach during his first draft, where he made NFL history by allocating every pick to the defensive side of the football in 2020.
"This won't be an all-defense draft like Matt Rhule's in 2020. The Panthers have needs all over the defense, but they want to add an impact wide receiver and depth on the offensive line as well. It is almost a guarantee Carolina will use its first pick -- at No. 8 or later in the first round -- on a player for the defensive front seven, and I think it's likely seven of the Panthers' nine picks will be on defense. "David Newton
Rhule's tenure in Carolina was an unmitigated disaster. Of those seven defenders selected in 2020, only Pro Bowl defensive lineman Derrick Brown remains. Yetur Gross-Matos and Jeremy Chinn both left after their rookie contracts expired. Troy Pride Jr., Kenny Robinson Jr., Bravvion Roy, and Stantley Thomas-Oliver were never up to the required standard.
Morgan won't completely neglect the weapons around quarterback Bryce Young, but the Panthers seem pretty confident in the options available. The front-office leader is also a much more established talent evaluator compared to Rhule, who never found the right formula and went back to the collegiate level significantly richer for his woeful efforts.
It'll be interesting to see how Morgan approaches the draft. This is a long-term project, so not everything needs a magic fix. At the same time, there's a need to take another step forward next season.
This will be Year 3 of Young's rookie deal. The Panthers have wasted the first two, so the pressure is on before things potentially get much more expensive. Morgan won't panic, but the improvements made last season have raised expectancy among the fanbase. These must be met to keep momentum trending up.
The draft will be defense-heavy. But by how much?