Dan Morgan needs to focus some of his big investments on the defensive side of the football this offseason. The general manager took the blame for a historically bad campaign from Ejiro Evero's unit, acknowledging that the Carolina Panthers didn't acquire the right quality to deploy the coordinator's 3-4 base scheme effectively.
That has to change before 2025. The Panthers cannot have their defense holding them back again. Head coach Dave Canales' decision to retain Evero when many fans were calling for change indicates belief in the system, so bolstering the playing personnel is critical.
Morgan needs to move some money around before the Panthers can become players in free agency. They have nine draft selections at their disposal to bring in defensive reinforcements. The front office leader might also examine potential trades if the right opportunities present themselves.
Carolina Panthers linked wth baffling in-division trade for Demario Davis
This was a topic discussed by Jaren Kawada from Clutch Points. The analyst thought Morgan could take advantage of uncertainty within the New Orleans Saints to make a bold move for veteran linebacker Demario Davis, although this is almost entirely dependent on whether the Panthers extend Shaq Thompson after two serious injuries in consecutive seasons.
"[Dan] Morgan should certainly prioritize re-signing [Shaq] Thompson, but he could find it difficult to hand out a big contract to an injury-prone 30-year-old. Given the thin free agency slate, that would force the Panthers to examine the trade market. New Orleans Saints veteran Demario Davis, who will enter the final year of his current contract in 2025, is the best and most attainable option. The Saints are reportedly considering moving both Derek Carr and Alvin Kamara in the offseason, making a full-blown rebuild well within reason. If that is the case, Davis and his $12 million cap hit would be among the first assets that Mickey Loomis will look to move."Jaren Kawada
The Saints didn't exactly set the world alight this season, but Davis was one of the few players to emerge with credit from the campaign. He secured 136 tackles, five tackles for loss, two sacks, and seven pass breakups in 16 games. The All-Pro's leadership played an important role for New Orleans before and after head coach Dennis Allen's firing to further raise his influence.
Davis' 80.2 run-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus was a testament to his exceptional production in this discipline. Considering the Panthers have up a league-worst 179.8 rushing yards per game this season, his presence would be a major asset.
The Saints have sacrifices to make. They are $52.31 million over the salary cap right now. Mickey Loomis always does a good job of kicking the can down the road, but some collateral damage always surfaces.
Trading Davis gets $12.96 million off their books, although they'd take on $480,000 in dead money. He might have another good year left, but this doesn't look like the sort of move Morgan will make when push comes to shove.
Davis is 36 years old, so this would be nothing more than a short-term investment. Morgan is building for the future, so sacrificing a draft pick for this short-term rental doesn't seem like good business.
He's a tremendous player, but this doesn't fit into the Panthers' newfound way of thinking with Morgan leading the charge.