Greg Olsen knows a thing or two about winning. He was part of arguably the Carolina Panthers' greatest moments during the mid-2010s. Things haven't gone quite as well since, but the franchise is on the right track at long last.
The Panthers' strong end to the 2024 campaign and much-needed stability across the key positions leave reasons for encouragement. Dan Morgan and Dave Canales have an aligned vision for the future and quarterback Bryce Young looks like a franchise-caliber presence under center. The ingredients are there, it's about building on them positively throughout the offseason.
Olsen outlined the blueprint for sustained success when speaking to Joe Person of The Athletic. The former tight-end turned FOX analyst believes that the Canales' culture shift and Young's continued growth represent the keys to Carolina's long-term prosperity.
"Not everyone has to be a $100 million free-agent signing. There are so many good players that if you can identify who they are and put them into a culture of development. So can Dave Canales continue to build a culture, a locker room, an identity of excellence, of winning, of accountability? In the early (going), it looks like he has. And then everything’s a lot easier if you have a great quarterback. Free agents want to come play with you. You have more of an identity. Your margin for error is bigger when your quarterback is good. But once you get one, if you can put that quarterback with good leadership from the top down, you start there. You’re gonna win a lot of games if you have those two things."Greg Olsen via The Athletic
It's a simple formula, but one very few in the league can successfully implement. The latest example came this season with the Washington Commanders, who went from a bottom feeder to one game away from the Super Bowl under head coach Dan Quinn.
Carolina Panthers should look to the Commanders for inspiration
They followed a similar method for growth. The Commanders found players who bought into the culture being installed by Quinn. Adam Peters drafted Jayden Daniels with the No. 2 pick and Washington took off. The NFC East team won 12 games, which was followed by playoff road wins against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and No. 1 seed Detroit Lions.
Washington did this in one year. It's taken the Panthers a little longer, but the foundation has been laid. That's the biggest positive after years of perennial misery.
There's quiet optimism around the Panthers heading into the offseason. Many are tipping them to be a dark horse wild card team in 2025 if they make the right moves throughout the recruitment period. Another offseason in the same scheme with the same coaches is only going to assist their cause.
It's been a long time since this fanbase had anything legitimate to cheer. The city hasn't been alive since Olsen, Luke Kuechly, Thomas Davis Sr., and NFL MVP quarterback Cam Newton were taking the league by storm. But after a long, dark tunnel of misery, there is light.
Hope. That's all fans want. With Morgan, Canales, and Young spearheading a new era, they have it.