The Carolina Panthers don't have much available salary-cap space right now. However, most fans are expecting some restructures and other tweaks to provide general manager Dan Morgan with the ammunition needed in free agency.
Though improving the firepower around quarterback Bryce Young will be on Carolina's to-do list, the franchise is prioritizing defensive additions. And Morgan's chances of landing one dynamic edge rusher have never felt more real after an intriguing development elsewhere.
The Los Angeles Chargers gave veteran pass-rusher Khalil Mack another one-year deal with $18 million in guaranteed money. That signals their intent to win now, but it all but assures Odafe Oweh will at least get the chance to test free agency.
Odafe Oweh is seen as a good Carolina Panthers fit by people around the league
Oweh has the size, length, bend, and burst Carolina should be looking for on the edge-rushing market. Jeremy Fowler of ESPN agrees, with people around the league believing this (and others) to be a good fit for the Panthers' defensive system under Ejiro Evero.
"Carolina is lurking in several markets, likely seeking pass-rush and linebacker help. Players such as edge rusher Odafe Oweh and linebacker Devin Lloyd are considered good fits for the Panthers' defensive scheme. General manager Dan Morgan also was with Buffalo when the franchise drafted free agent linebacker [Tremaine] Edmunds."
There will be competition for Oweh; lots of it. He's in his prime, on the rise, and ready to become a focal point. Given the money he is expected to command on the open market, whoever takes the plunge will be expecting precisely that.
It's not hard to see why the Panthers would have interest in Oweh. Morgan wants to attack the front seven of his defense for the quality needed to take the next step. His athleticism and physical profile look tailor-made for Evero's system, which would be a massive upgrade opposite Nic Scourton.
This would put Princely Umanmielen and Patrick Jones II as the rotational options. If the Ole Miss product develops in his second year, and last offseason's free-agent signing makes a successful return from back surgery, this has the makings of a highly productive quartet if the Panthers did manage to secure Oweh's services.
That's not guaranteed by any stretch. However, when Morgan sets his sights on a target, he normally gets them into the building. Milton Williams was the exception, but that was down to the money being offered, not his lack of confidence in the club.
The Panthers are seemingly ready to strike, and Oweh is likely going to call somewhere else home in 2026. Getting him to Carolina would be a massive statement of intent.