Dan Morgan has had more hits than misses during his two drafts in charge of the Carolina Panthers. It's one of the primary reasons why things are looking up for the franchise, but not every choice has yielded the desired results so far.
Most are still around, but fans now have a clearer sense of which roles some will or won't have as part of Morgan's long-term plan. And for a very select few, their time with the organization ended extremely abruptly.
There was quiet optimism around Jaden Crumedy when the Panthers selected him at No. 200 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. The defensive lineman may have been undersized for a three-down interior role, but there was enough production at Mississippi State to suggest he could potentially carve out a key rotational role for himself over time.
Jaden Crumedy given chance to impress with the Packers after Carolina Panthers exit
Unfortunately, injuries dented Crumedy's chances of making an impact. He played just eight games and 165 defensive snaps in two seasons. The lineman registered 15 tackles, one pressure, and 0.5 sacks. The Panthers waived him before bringing him back onto the practice squad, but they did not offer him a reserve/futures contract following the campaign.
Day 3 picks are often a crapshoot. If they don't work out in their first stop, most are lucky to catch on elsewhere. Crumedy will aim to buck this ongoing trend after receiving a shocking career lifeline when all hope was fading rapidly.
The Green Bay Packers confirmed they'd signed Crumedy to a reserve/futures contract. This doesn't guarantee anything regarding a place on the 53-man roster next year, but it gives him a chance to stake a claim early before potentially building momentum as the summer progresses.
Of course, the Packers are now looking for a new defensive coordinator after Jeff Hafley left for the Miami Dolphins' head-coaching gig. A new hire will have their own ideas, which doesn't make Crumedy's task any easier. That is out of his control; what's important is putting in the dedication during the offseason before linking up with his teammates.
The talent is there. Staying healthy has been the biggest challenge, but Crumedy now has a chance to silence his doubters and potentially help usher in a new defensive era in Green Bay.
While the chances are remote, they obviously see something in Crumedy that warrants further investigation. The margin for error will be nonexistent, but it beats the alternative of not knowing where you'll be starting preparations for the 2026 campaign.
And if Crumedy doesn't make this work, his time in the league may be over before he knows it.