Second-year general manager Dan Morgan has been seeking additional assistance in the secondary for a few weeks. The Carolina Panthers haven't found the right fit for one reason or another, but the need for another experienced presence, especially in the safety unit, cannot be overstated.
And the decisive action of one division rival means going back to an earlier target this offseason is officially off the table.
The New Orleans Saints were rocked by the news that veteran safety Tyrann Mathieu opted to retire on the eve of training camp. This provoked the NFC South club into rapid action, which saw free-agent Julian Blackmon sign on the dotted line just a few short hours later.
Carolina Panthers didn't sign Julian Blackmon, and now they'll face him twice in 2025
This brought dismay to sections of Carolina's loyal and long-suffering fan base. They were clamoring for Morgan to sign the player, who came in for a visit during the busiest part of free agency in the spring. Nothing concrete emerged, which suggests the money didn't work or the fit wasn't quite where it needed to be.
There's a growing sense that the Panthers are confident in the options available. Inquiring about Justin Simmons and bringing in Marcus Williams paints a different story, but Morgan and defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero are eager to see what young upstarts like Demani Richardson and Lathan Ransom can bring to the table before deciding on whether more is needed.
Blackmon won't be among the candidates any longer, although he'd have been the perfect addition opposite big-money signing Tre'von Moehrig. Now, he's likely to slot into Mathieu's role instantly, and he'll also get a full training camp to familiarize himself with the team's schematic concepts for good measure.
Morgan will have other options. Players will start getting released around the league who could potentially assist. There are a lot of moving parts to this equation, but Blackmon was young enough and ascending enough to form a possible long-term part of the team's plans.
That wasn't to be. Morgan is running the front office with more professionalism, measured in everything he does, and always keeping one eye on the future. If he didn't feel like Blackmon was a risk worth taking, he should be trusted until further notice.
But if Blackmon shines with the Saints, and the Panthers' safety corps doesn't meet expectations, fans will have every right to point fingers at the chosen strategy.