Dan Morgan has a lot on his plate this offseason. The Carolina Panthers have hope for the future after so long in the proverbial wilderness. It's a big positive, but this increases the pressure to find the right recruits to kick this rebuild up another notch.
Morgan hasn't got much spare cash to spend in free agency, although that will change with extensions, contract restructures, and releases ahead of time. Finding the right reinforcements who fit into the culture is key. However, it would be shocking if the Panthers didn't focus their primary investments on the defensive side this spring.
It was a historically bad campaign from Ejiro Evero's unit. Now that the defensive coordinator got a reprieve, the Panthers have to do everything in their power to get him better players that fit his scheme.
NFL analyst thinks Asante Samuel Jr. would be a good fit on the Carolina Panthers
David Latham from Last Word on Sports believes the Panthers could solve a lot of their problems by going after cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. in free agency. The Los Angeles Chargers will fight hard to keep him around, but the NFL analyst thought he'd be a perfect fit for the Panthers alongside Jaycee Horn and potentially Mike Jackson Sr. if the latter gets an extension.
"It's time to build a team that can compete for the playoffs, and that starts with fixing the defense. Carolina’s defense ranked at or near the bottom of every metric last year, and signing a player like Asante Samuel to a respectable contract could help fix the issue. Samuel won’t fix every issue on this team, but he won’t have to. Former first-round pick Jaycee Horn finally stayed healthy in 2024 and made the Pro Bowl, proving he has the talent to be a legitimate boundary cornerback. Taking Asante Samuel from the Chargers and pairing him with Horn and potentially Mike Jackson should give the Panthers three starting-caliber defensive backs without breaking the bank."David Latham
The Panthers have more pressing issues than the cornerback room, in all honesty. They desperately need help on their defensive front. Finding another explosive pass-rusher should be a high priority. Giving the safety corps a substantial makeover is something else to consider.
Carolina has nine draft selections, which provides a sense of freedom. Samuel's accomplished production since entering the league and his never-back-down mentality would fit in well next to Horn, who is equally as competitive. Providing it doesn't jeopardize the Panthers' hopes of strengthening elsewhere, they could do far worse that's for sure.
The Chargers made the playoffs this season. They are on the up under head coach Jim Harbaugh — a culture-builder who wins wherever he goes. Leaving this project would be tough, so the chances of signing an extension are high if the money works for all parties.
Morgan should keep a close eye on developments. He'll have a list of potential options lined up and ready to go. Some will test the market and others won't. It's all about striking with conviction to land their preferred targets. Nothing else will do.
Samuel would be a decent addition to the secondary. Even if it could be a pipedream when it's all said and done.