Nick Scott - Carolina Panthers S
Dan Morgan conceded that he didn't do enough to address the defense during his first offseason at the helm. The Carolina Panthers opted to transition their primary investments on offense in pursuit of helping Bryce Young. He made encouraging progress when reintroduced into the starting lineup, but it came at the expense of Ejiro Evero's unit.
The Panthers were woeful defensively. They were the league's worst run defense by more than 30 yards per game. They conceded the most points in NFL history during the regular season. It was a catastrophe from start to finish and Evero didn't have the personnel to adjust accordingly.
Where Evero deserves criticism is vouching for some players he'd worked with before. This was his consolation prize for losing established stars such as Frankie Luvu, Vonn Bell, and Brian Burns. Not many managed to make productive contributions to the cause.
Nick Scott fits into this bracket. The Panthers banked on his previous connection to Evero bringing about improved production following a down year with the Cincinnati Bengals. Not even the coordinator could prevent his downward spiral.
One could blame the injuries, but Scott wasn't exactly reliable when fully healthy. The Panthers need a complete reset at the safety position this offseason. Those plans should not include him.
Velus Jones Jr. - Carolina Panthers RB
Desperate times called for desperate measures late in the season. With rookie second-rounder Jonathon Brooks suffering another torn ACL and veteran Miles Sanders working his way back to health, the Panthers needed to add someone else to their running back room.
Velus Jones Jr. was the man tasked with filling the void. The versatile weapon started his NFL career as a wide receiver before transitioning to a running back. He was featured heavily on HBO's Hard Knocks with the Chicago Bears but couldn't make an impact and was waived in October. Carolina scooped him off the Jacksonville Jaguars practice squad, which brought some intrigue despite the challenging circumstances.
Jones couldn't adjust effectively enough. It was always going to be challenging, but he generated just one carry for zero rushing yards in the two games he was active. The former Tennessee star didn't get a target in the passing game and accumulated 19 yards on his only punt return.
The Panthers have some questions to answer in the running back room this offseason. Chuba Hubbard is the focal point after signing a four-year extension. Brooks faces another long road to recovery and might not be seen again until 2026. Sanders impressed in the regular-season finale, but he's still a salary-cap candidate until further notice.
Regardless of which way the Panthers go, Jones will be surplus to requirements.