The Carolina Panthers are planning to be aggressive in free agency. There isn't much salary-cap space for general manager Dan Morgan to achieve this objective as yet, but it's a fluid situation that will no doubt change before the all-important legal tampering window arrives.
This also means that Morgan may need to take a few risks to find solid production at a cost-effective price. His biggest successes have come through large investments in the veteran market over the last two years. If the Panthers want to get over the hump and go deeper into the postseason, the front-office leader must start making the unheralded moves count.
Morgan wants to improve the pass rush. He made no secret of that during his end-of-season media availability. The Panthers could go down the draft route, but that shouldn't prevent them from taking a swing on a high-upside veteran to further bolster the ranks.
Joseph Ossai could be precisely what the Carolina Panthers are looking for
That's where Joseph Ossai comes in.
While the edge rusher has never secured lofty numbers with the Cincinnati Bengals, he's got the size and length that defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero typically looks for. Although the former Texas star only managed five sacks from 67 percent of the team's snaps in 2025, it's worth remembering how moribund the supporting cast was amid All-Pro defensive end Trey Hendrickson's injury problems.
Ossai would probably welcome a fresh start elsewhere. He's still just 25, so there might be some untapped potential remaining in a more structured operation. The Panthers went from league-worst to middle-of-the-pack defensively last season. They are gradually progressing, and if a few more positive tweaks arrive, this trend will continue.
According to Spotrac, Ossai is expected to get a four-year, $36.78 million deal, averaging $9.19 million per season. That projection seems a little on the high side for someone with 14.5 sacks in four years, but he's a well-rounded edge defender who should only get better in his prime. This makes him an intriguing proposition for the Panthers or someone else.
From a size perspective, Ossai has the look. He can gain leverage easily, which makes him an asset against the run. Switching to a 3-4 outside linebacker gives him the freedom to be a little more explosive with some extra room to maneuver, which would only serve him well in Carolina if Morgan goes down this route.
Ossai got lost in the weeds of Cincinnati's dysfunction. A move to the Panthers — an ascending club with a young core all learning and growing together — may be the spark that ignites his career.