The Carolina Panthers are now taking stock before training camp. General manager Dan Morgan and head coach Dave Canales will have a good idea of how their roster will look and what else might be required, and they have some spare cash for additional moves if needed.
Whether Carolina's power couple will make any pre-camp moves is anyone's guess. If they decide to seek veteran assistance, a team insider highlighted a potential addition to bolster competition at linebacker.
Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer thought Kenneth Murray Jr. makes sense. The Panthers made a significant addition to their defensive second level with the acquisition of Devin Lloyd. The insider still thought someone to push third-year pro Trevin Wallace could be beneficial this summer.
Carolina Panthers could raise linebacker urgency with Kenneth Murray Jr.
And given the options behind Lloyd and Wallace on the depth chart right now, there is merit to Kaye's assessment.
"With the investment the team has made in (Devin) Lloyd, the squad can’t afford to have his tag-team partner be a letdown. (Kenneth) Murray could be experienced insurance and a summer foil for (Trevin) Wallace, who isn’t facing particularly notable competition entering his third year."
Murray looked like a superstar during his rookie campaign with the Los Angeles Chargers. Injuries and a lack of consistency dented his momentum, and he wasn't brought back. After one season with the Tennessee Titans, he was traded to the Dallas Cowboys. Unfortunately, the 2020 first-round pick was unable to meet expectations once again.
The Panthers wouldn't be losing much to see if Murray could help raise urgency. Lloyd is the alpha, and those in power are not giving up on Wallace as yet. But with so much at stake next season, Morgan cannot leave anything to chance.
This wouldn't come with any assurances from Murray's side. If he ended up in Carolina, he'd have to earn his spot just like everyone else. But at 27 years old, the former Oklahoma star fits the profile of what Morgan typically looks for, and with almost 500 tackles in seven years, he knows how to get around the action.
Morgan might decide to stick with the options available, giving them a chance to impose themselves at training camp and in the preseason. Wallace has been dealing with an injury and is being brought along gradually by the Panthers. Linebacker depth could be improved, and Murray represents a better option than most still looking for work.
Whether the Panthers hold a similar opinion is debatable. But Morgan won't hesitate if he believes it can help.
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