Carolina Panthers fans are dreaming of high-profile additions and immediate impact players entering free agency. One team insider threw cold water on these hopes with a brutal reality check regarding the franchise.
The Panthers are up against it, there's no getting away from that.
Dan Morgan and Brandt Tilis steadied the ship during their first offseason together but nothing more. Their financial situation remains precarious despite the NFL announcing a larger-than-expected surge in available resources. Things should improve once sacrifices are made, although the general manager is reluctant to kick the can down the road too much.
There should be more urgency for the Panthers this offseason. They've already wasted the first two years of quarterback Bryce Young's rookie deal. They have holes everywhere, but the time for half-measures is over. Morgan must take calculated risks and do whatever is necessary to provide the coaching staff with everything needed to take another step forward in 2025.
Carolina Panthers don't have enough money to be major players in free agency
Anyone expecting the Panthers to be big players in free agency could be out of luck. David Newton from ESPN provided a pessimistic outlook, hinting that Morgan is expected to examine mid-level guys rather than at the top end of the spectrum. As for a bombshell trade to acquire Myles Garrett? That's absolutely out of the question.
"Cleveland Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett asked for a trade and would look great opposite Jadeveon Clowney. However, Garrett wants to go to a contender, and the Panthers are a few years from that. The Panthers likely will have to settle on mid-level players in free agency and continue to build through the draft, so don't count on a big splash. Carolina could go after mid-level speed receivers like Darius Slayton or Noah Brown to help [Bryce] Young. But the focus will be on defense, particularly edge rushers and linemen. The Panthers finished tied for 30th in sacks with 32 and their leading edge rusher, A'Shawn Robinson, had 5.5 sacks."David Newton
Fans are gradually starting to accept this fact. Nothing can be completely dismissed — one only has to look at Carolina signing Robert Hunt last offseason to see that — but the pursestrings are too tight for anything similar right now.
The Panthers can free additional money through restructures, early releases, and extensions ahead of time. Dave Canales' squad made some encouraging strides over the second half of 2024 and Bryce Young looks like a franchise quarterback. They are two good selling points, but Charlotte is a small market that dictates overpaying more often than not.
There isn't much margin for error. The Panthers have a chance to enter the NFC South title picture next season with the right reinforcements. Anything less will see them treading water and potentially in danger of yet another losing record under David Tepper's ownership.
That's how high the stakes are for Morgan and his front-office staff in the coming months. Expectancy is high among the fanbase. Their ambitions are rising after pride returned to the Panthers. But make no mistake, what comes next is more important.
Morgan has a plan and is unlikely to deviate from it. If that means shopping in the bargain bin for one more offseason, so be it — no matter how underwhelming that would be.