The Super Bowl is over and draft season has begun. Dan Morgan and his front-office staff have been preparing for weeks leading up to the assessment stage. The general manager is also loaded with significant assets to strengthen the playing personnel.
There is optimism surrounding the Panthers this offseason. They were more competitive once things finally clicked in 2024. The prominent leadership positions are stable and quarterback Bryce Young looks like a potential franchise quarterback. A strong recruitment period could see this perennial underachiever become a trendy pick to reach the postseason next time around.
Improving the roster will go a long way to achieving this objective. There isn't much financial wiggle room on Carolina's salary cap right now, although that will change once releases, contract restructures, and extensions ahead of time are confirmed by the organization. Just how much this will move the needle is anyone's guess, so maximizing the draft assets is crucial.
Morgan has nine selections in the 2025 NFL Draft. Five of these are in the top 115 and the Panthers have seven in the first 150. That's not a bad position to be in. Capitalizing on them is a different challenge entirely.
Carolina Panthers have flexibility during the 2025 NFL Draft
Assessing draft prospects and their potential at the next level is a specialist trait. Morgan got a mixed return from his first draft class, although nobody chosen got tagged with the dreaded 'bust' label. They can all increase their contributions with additional development. That does not detract from the need to hit on his second group of college players.
Carolina's needs are pretty obvious right now. They will change depending on free agency, but the overall draft approach never alters. The Panthers must find immediate difference-makers with their early picks and rotational players with upside lower down the pecking order.
Having so many picks gives Morgan flexibility. One couldn't dismiss the possibility of trading down or up depending on how things unfold. The Panthers could also use one or two of their picks to acquire a proven veteran in the trade market if the right opportunity presents itself. The options are endless.
Morgan will have a plan in place. After taking stock to put the football operation on sounder footing in year one, the front-office leader can be more aggressive now. That only adds to the fascination with evaluation events in full swing and the NFL Scouting Combine on the immediate horizon.
Using the Pro Football Network simulator, we took a look at how the Panthers might approach their 2025 NFL Draft selections in this seven-round mock.