Dan Morgan has a long offseason ahead. The general manager saw some decent returns from the Carolina Panthers in Year 1 of his ambitious project. Finding the right reinforcements is essential to give head coach Dave Canales a fighting chance in 2025.
The Panthers haven't got much salary-cap space currently, although that will change once extensions, restructures, and sacrifices are made to the playing personnel. Morgan spent his first recruitment period fortifying the offense around quarterback Bryce Young. That eventually bore fruit, but it came at the expense of significant defensive regression.
Carolina's defense put up historically bad numbers. Ejiro Evero came in for scathing criticism despite the obvious lack of talent at his disposal. The Panthers kept faith with the coordinator, so giving him the weapons needed to deploy his 3-4 scheme effectively is paramount.
One overlooked need for the Panthers centers on the backend. The safety positions could have two new starters next season with Xavier Woods and Jordan Fuller both out of contract. Morgan must approach this carefully, potentially adding a younger veteran to pair with a college prospect if the right opportunities present themselves.
Analyst urges Carolina Panthers to examine free-agent safety Tre'von Moehrig
This was a topic discussed by Bradley Locker from Pro Football Focus. The analyst highlighted Las Vegas Raiders safety Tre'von Moehrig as the perfect free-agent target for the Panthers — one he believes would instantly sure up their league-worst run defense next season.
"The Panthers were effectively the NFL’s worst defense this year by almost all advanced metrics. No position should be left untouched, but it’s more likely that Carolina will address its front four with the No. 8 overall pick. In turn, upgrading at safety — where the Panthers ranked 31st in PFF overall grade — is a must. [Tre'von] Moehrig might not be as flashy as a player like Jevon Holland or Talanoa Hufanga, but he quietly put together another impressive year with the Raiders. Moehrig’s 67.5 PFF overall grade ranks 11th among free-agent safeties, and his 87.5 PFF run-defense grade is seventh among all qualifiers at the position. The 25-year-old would be the back-end building block the Panthers need."Bradley Locker, PFF
Moehrig was a second-round pick out of TCU who's done well over his career to date. The Raiders haven't enjoyed the best of fortunes over that span, but their complications center primarily on the offensive side of the football. They'll probably like to retain his services, but the talented defensive back will never get a better opportunity for a fresh challenge.
The player's got his best football years ahead of him. Moehrig is a hard hitter — a willing presence at the defensive second level who knows how to get around the football consistently. There are some deficiencies in coverage on occasion, but the good far outweighs the bad looking at Carolina's weaknesses.
This is a player who warrants further examination from the Panthers' front office. Moehrig's mentality should transition seamlessly into Carolina's new culture shift under Canales. He also looks like a good scheme fit for Evero, which seems like a prerequisite for any incoming this offseason.
Whether it's Moehrig or someone else, the Panthers need some fresh ideas at the safety spot. But make no mistake, Morgan has targets in mind and will strike with conviction to get them on board.