The Carolina Panthers once again watched from the couch as the Philadelphia Eagles took home the Super Bowl. But Nick Sirianni's squad just might have provided the roadmap to obtaining the team's first-ever championship.
Make no mistake, the Panthers are very far off from any dreams of hoisting the Vince Lombardi trophy. But not as far as they may seem.
Bryce Young is finally looking like the franchise quarterback. Chuba Hubbard is a superstar running back, and Jalen Coker could be the dominant wideout Carolina has desperately needed. But there are still some fairly major holes, namely at the tight end spot and all over the defense.
However, when you take a look at the Eagles' rise to the top, it gives hope of a quick turnaround.
Following a brief high point upon defeating the New England Patriots in the 2017 season with a masterful performance from Nick Foles, the team seemed to fall apart at the seams. Much of this can be associated with regression and departure of aging or overperforming veterans. That is the cause of many champions' downfall in the NFL.
That is not what is important. What is important is how the Eagles bounced back so quickly once they hit the reset button.
It was clear that Carson Wentz was not going to be the same after the injury that kept the quarterback out of the Super Bowl. Foles was never going to be a long-term answer. They looked to the future by drafting Jalen Hurts in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Carolina Panthers should take notes from Eagles' exceptional roster building
While most of this draft was questionable, the selection of Hurts was anything but. It kicked off a series of drafts that transformed the organization. This showcases just how important it is to hit early and often with your picks.
Almost purely through the power of the draft and a change of organizational identity, the Eagles went from one of the worst teams in the NFL to competing in only three seasons.
They got a star wideout in DeVonta Smith to pair with the recently acquired A.J. Brown. Landon Dickerson and Cam Jurgens were acquired to protect Hurts. The Eagles bolstered the defense with stars like Cooper DeJean, Quinyon Mitchell, Jordan Davis, and Jalen Carter.
What this series of picks shows is how the Eagles began their rebuild from the inside out — not with big-name free agents but with high-upside talent from the draft. This shored up their offensive and defensive trenches for seasons to come.
You win championships this way. Just look at how easily the Eagles were able to run over the Kansas City Chiefs' offensive line for proof.
The other aspect is that the Eagles never forgot who they were building for. Always at the forefront of the organization's mind was Hurts. A mobile quarterback who can throw the ball downfield with precision but is most effective when able to use his legs alongside a solid rushing attack.
What did the Eagles do? They drafted and signed players that fit this playstyle.
Offensive linemen can get out and block in space without leaving the quarterback vulnerable when they want to stay in the pocket. Wideouts excel at short and intermediate crossing routes but still can stretch the ball downfield. Running backs that can take over a game.
Building for your quarterback over selecting the best player available will always pay dividends if you have the right guy under center.
Speaking of bringing in free agents, the Eagles have not shied away from making big splashes for players that they know will make an impact. Just look at how vital Saquon Barkley ended up being. The front office saw a glaring need and went out and got the best player without a second thought.
Carolina Panthers must fix their defense and build around Bryce Young
That is the kind of support this Panthers organization needs.
How did the Eagles land these free agents? By becoming an attractive destination to move toward. That begins with coaching. Something Philadelphia has done masterfully for many seasons.
Except for a particularly disastrous tenure of Sean Desai as defensive coordinator with Matt Patricia as a lead assistant in 2023, the coaching staff has had a bevy of top talent come from it.
With the offensive and defensive coordinators as well as the quarterbacks' coach from the 2022 Super Bowl appearance now head coaches in the NFL to go along with the recently crowned Kellen Moore, the Eagles have consistently needed to find top-level replacements. They have also made tough decisions when it comes to underperforming staff.
This is how you go from the bottom of the barrel in defensive rankings to the absolute pinnacle in only one season. The Eagles saw a problem and fixed it. There is no room for sentiment in the NFL. If a team believes they are close to competing for a championship, they have to do what is necessary to take that next step.
That is not to say you give up on someone after one indifferent year. However, it is food for thought with just how miserable the Panthers' defense was in 2024.
But what does this mean for the Panthers?
It means that the team needs to take some notes and start building the defensive trenches with top-level talent that can help keep games close. They need to keep the pressure off of Young while simultaneously bringing in playmakers who can open up the intermediate area of the field.
The Panthers can finally start building for the future and not chase the shades of the past. The team just needs to focus on building around their rising quarterback. After that, they just might find themselves competing in the next few seasons.
Rebuilding the defense should be the highest priority in the upcoming draft. Very few free agents are worth keeping around for another season at any level. With a bevy of picks, the Panthers have what it takes to make that a reality.
With the interior offensive line already shored up via free agency and some solid pieces along the outside, there is finally some excitement to this Panthers team. Dan Morgan must capitalize on this urgently during the offseason.