Dan Morgan has taken some calculated risks since becoming the Carolina Panthers' general manager. Some have paid off handsomely. Others have blown up in his face.
And Week 3 all but confirmed his biggest error of all.
The Panthers haven't been the same since Frankie Luvu departed in 2024 free agency. His inspirational leadership at the defensive second level hasn't come anywhere close to being replaced. Watching the ferocious linebacker excel with the Washington Commanders only rubbed further salt into the wounds of fans who were clamoring for the player to get a long-term deal.
Carolina Panthers still miss Frankie Luvu despite defensive resurgence
Luvu earned second-team All-Pro honors last season as the Commanders reached the NFC Championship game. The Panthers conceded the most single-season points in NFL history and more than 3,000 rushing yards in his absence. And things didn't get any better in Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Ejiro Evero's unit improved drastically during a shutout victory over the Atlanta Falcons. As for Luvu? He turned Washington's game against the Las Vegas Raiders into his own showcase with a phenomenal display of dominance.
The urgency with which Luvu goes about his business is extraordinary. He's a relentless force alongside future Pro Football Hall of Famer Bobby Wagner, displaying the explosiveness and instincts that nobody in Carolina can provide right now.
Washington ended up winning the game comfortably. Luvu was in supreme form, coming up with seven tackles. This also confirmed what Panthers fans have known for some time...
Morgan made a mistake, and he should have parted ways with the $31 million it would have taken to keep Luvu around.
Reports suggested that the Panthers left it too late to make Luvu an acceptable offer. By that point, he'd already spoken to Commanders head coach Dan Quinn. The rest is history, and Morgan is paying for not getting the situation resolved much sooner.
Luvu deserved an extension ahead of time. He emerged from a special-teams ace to an integral part of the team's defensive strategy. His trajectory was only pointing up, but the Panthers dithered long enough for the player to get enticed by a more exciting project.
The front-office leader has learned from these mistakes, getting deals done with Derrick Brown, Chuba Hubbard, Jaycee Horn, and Taylor Moton before things got more complicated. Although positive, that doesn't compensate for the gaping hole left by Luvu that has yet to be filled effectively.