Dan Morgan faced some tough decisions during his second offseason as general manager. Not every choice was going to go over favorably with the fanbase or those critiquing in the media.
The Carolina Panthers didn't have much wiggle room financially to make the improvements needed despite having nine draft picks to fall back on. Morgan focused his attention on fixing Ejiro Evero's woeful defense and rightfully so. He retained the core offensive lineman to maintain continuity within the team's biggest strength in 2024. He probably overpaid for a few signings, but that's what happens when you're a struggling team in a small market.
Morgan believes the Panthers are in a better spot right now. They solved some issues, but plenty remain. Navigating the draft effectively would get them closer to contention, but attaining a winning record should be the team's biggest objective above all else when competitive action resumes again.
Analyst criticizes Carolina Panthers for early financial outlays in free agency
Benjamin Solak from ESPN wasn't exactly glowing in praise for Carolina's financial outlays early in free agency. The analyst thought the Panthers shelled out too much for all their major acquisitions. This also included the record-breaking extension given to Pro Bowl cornerback Jaycee Horn after an injury-hit first three years in the league.
"[Jaycee] Horn certainly looked like he was healthy and back to full form, but I didn't see making him "the highest-paid cornerback in football" as a reasonable response to his career arc. I like [Tre'von] Moehrig, but he isn't the league's fifth-best safety, as his contract implies. I thought the [Tershawn] Wharton deal was one of the biggest overpays of the entire cycle, and while neither [Patrick] Jones nor [Bobby] Brown signed for sizable deals, I'm not sure either will deliver more than rotational depth value. I would have liked for the Panthers to get more impact with their cap space, but it just wasn't the class for it."Benjamin Solak
Whether the Panthers overpaid for any incoming player or contract extension will be a moot point if they all meet expectations. That's the most important thing, something that justifies the transaction and takes the money involved firmly out of the equation.
The Panthers think they've found the right blend of youth and experience. They think they've acquired the right characters that can fit into head coach Dave Canales' locker room culture shift. Those in power believe they've secured the correct talent capable of taking things forward in phase two of Morgan's project.
There's a much more methodical approach under this regime. Morgan and Canales are getting the necessary time to turn things around from team owner David Tepper, which was pivotal. They are going through their long-term plan and hitting specific targets step-by-step rather than taking rash gambles that may or may not work out. And besides, the Panthers are always going to have to stump up a little extra to get their desired targets until they become a perennial contender.
Just how long that'll take is anyone's guess. This is a gradual process, but the signs are promising. No amount of skepticism among the national media can change that.