It is widely reported that the Carolina Panthers will prioritize building their defense. A sentiment former linebacker Dan Morgan has passionately reiterated all offseason. The general manager has his work cut out for him, but with two years under his belt, he has identified a winning formula.
The Panthers are not desperate to draft any particular position. Instead, it is the splash that counts.
The roster is still developing. A young, promising player can take a leap at any moment. In the wake of uncertainty, the front-office leader leaves no doubt about the front office's chief objective. The goal is to find blue-chip talent.
Going into last year’s draft, the Panthers were not showing their cards. Aside from an existing friendship with quarterback Bryce Young, wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan was barely linked to the team.
Carolina Panthers want to be in a position to draft the best prospects available
Less than a year later, the Panthers’ No. 8 overall pick won the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year. Aside from being Morgan’s greatest success story, McMillan’s emergence as a franchise cornerstone proves a valuable point. Impact players matter.
"It’s about getting impact players in here. It’s not about a certain position. As you go into the draft, you want to be able to draft best player available, impact players, guys who can help you out because you never know when injuries are going to happen."Dan Morgan via Panthers.com
Morgan understands the Panthers' advantage. Last year, Carolina benefited from having most of its star players remain healthy. The general manager also understands that luck eventually does run out.
With more than two months standing between now and the draft, a lot is subject to change. What is known is that the top of this draft is abundant with versatile defensive players. With the No. 19 overall selection, Morgan has the opportunity to find another Day 1 starter.
This does not undermine the Panthers' legitimate defensive needs. Morgan will look to attack them by adding talent at linebacker and on the defensive edge.
Ideally, knowing where to invest starts with understanding whose stock is rising. In many ways, the answer might already be on the roster. The Panthers have a plethora of young players who are still developing. Princely Umanmielen, Lathan Ransom, and Trevin Wallace could emerge as legitimate starters.
The good news is the Panthers could use depth at nearly every position on the field. An injection of additional talent would certainly be welcomed by the entire fanbase. Worrying about specific needs only adds to the noise, giving Carolina an opportunity to haul in high-value players this offseason.