The Carolina Panthers haven't done much to improve the weapons around quarterback Bryce Young this offseason. Dan Morgan rightfully focused his attention on fixing the defense, which became an ongoing embarrassment during the previous campaign en route to historically bad numbers.
There's a chance Morgan bolsters the offense at some stage during the 2025 NFL Draft. Before then, the Panthers made an unconventional signing that raised more than a few eyebrows around the NFL.
Carolina confirmed the signing of Colin Granger. The former Division I basketball star is looking to try his hand at football to lay the tight end position. The problem is, that he has no legitimate experience to call upon before embarking on this opportunity.
Granger is no stranger to the region, having played basketball at Western Carolina and Coastal Carolina at the center spot. He's 6-foot-9 with a wide wingspan, but it'll take much more than that to become an NFL professional.
Carolina Panthers take shot in the dark with Colin Granger signing
The intriguing prospect reportedly drew interest from a few teams after working to hone his craft in recent months. Carolina saw something in Granger that warrants closer investigation. He immediately went onto social media to provide an inspiring message to those who've followed his progress closely up to now.
"Anything, and I mean anything, in life that you want to do, you can do. And do not let a single (expletive) tell you anything else. A month ago, I was playing college basketball. My last game was on March 4th. Now, I'm a Carolina Panther. Anything is possible."Colin Granger
This is a shot in the dark. The Panthers won't be expecting Granger to immediately propel himself onto the offensive rotation. At the same time, there is an opening right now at the third tight end position behind Ja'Tavon Sanders and Tommy Tremble.
That could change depending on how the Panthers approach the draft. Some good prospects are coming out with far more upside than Granger, so it'll be interesting to see how he handles himself when the competition gets fierce over the summer.
Granger is starting from the bottom up. Flashing in workouts is one thing. Doing it against accomplished NFL performers and fledgling stars is something else entirely.
This is going to be a crash course for Granger; there's no getting away from that. He showed enough promise to get a shot. But make no mistake, what comes next is even more pivotal.
Several basketball stars went on to have successful NFL careers. Antonio Gates is arguably the most famous among the tight ends. Panthers legend Julius Peppers was a two-sport standout at North Carolina before going on to have a first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Fame career.
Asking Granger to reach those heights is unfair and unrealistic in equal measure. He'll get the chance to develop gradually before potentially working his way up the ladder. There is a long, hard road ahead, but he's got a foot in the door.
It'll be one of many fascinating storylines to monitor when Carolina begins its preparations for the new campaign.