The Carolina Panthers desperately need to fix their defensive issues this offseason. Dan Morgan neglected the unit during his first recruitment period at the helm in favor of spending significant resources to help quarterback Bryce Young. That cannot continue.
Morgan won't completely overlook the offense. The Panthers need a legitimate No. 1 receiver for Young. They could also acquire another productive tight end or running back if Miles Sanders becomes a salary-cap casualty. But after a historically bad campaign from Ejiro Evero's unit, the defense must take priority.
Conceding the most single-season points in NFL history was embarrassing. The Panthers' run defense was an abomination, giving up 179.8 rushing yards per game. Aside from cornerback Jaycee Horn, nobody truly stood out consistently. Evero didn't have the personnel to adjust his scheme, relying on practice squad players or guys off the street to fill in when injuries struck.
The front-office leader took accountability. Morgan stated he failed to give Evero the tools needed and the Panthers suffered greatly. The coordinator stayed on despite calls from sections of Carolina's fanbase for a change in ideas. Providing him with the weapons needed is crucial.
This will come at the expense of others. The Panthers have no room for sentiment with an opportunity to potentially enter the NFC South title picture next season. That's the price of progress. Settling is not an option.
NFL analyst throws A'Shawn Robinson's future with Carolina Panthers into doubt
Alex Ballentine from The Bleacher Report thought defensive lineman A'Shawn Robinson could become collateral damage. The analyst thought going younger on the defensive front could be enough for the Panthers to entertain trade offers for the experienced veteran. Something that would also save them money on their salary cap along the way.
"A'Shawn Robinson is much less of a marquee name, but trading him would clean up the Panthers books a little bit. Derrick Brown is the key interior defender on the roster and Robinson is 29 years old. Targeting younger interior defenders in the draft would be a wise move that would make Robinson expendable."Alex Ballentine
Robinson flashed as a pass-rusher in 2024 en route to 5.5 sacks — a career-high. His 29 stops ranked 13th among qualifying defensive linemen according to Pro Football Focus. However, his inability to become impactful against the run consistently was a major disappointment.
This is a deep draft class for defensive linemen and edge rushers. Carolina has nine selections to utilize. It would be jaw-dropping if Morgan didn't allocate some high-end capital to the trenches after watching the complete capitulation of Evero's unit in 2024.
What that means for Robinson's future is anyone's guess. He's more likely to stick around than someone like Shy Tuttle, who is not a nose tackle and has constantly underachieved over his first two seasons in Carolina. But if Morgan believes he can find a better option for cheaper via the draft, he won't hesitate to pull the trigger.
Trading Robinson saves the Panthers $5.5 million on their 2025 salary-cap with $4.11 million added to their dead money. There won't be a robust market for the interior force, but there could be one or two clubs who'd be willing to throw a late-round pick Carolina's way to secure his services.
Whether this scenario becomes reality is dependent on how Morgan approaches the Panthers' potential arrivals on the defensive front.