The Carolina Panthers are further ahead of schedule than most expected in the second year of general manager Dan Morgan's master plan. They are within touching distance of winning the NFC South, but head coach Dave Canales' squad looks some way off from being a legitimate Super Bowl hopeful right now.
With a few tweaks during the offseason, the Panthers have the potential to be a force in 2026. Morgan has built this roster methodically so far. Still, seeing the encouraging progress his squad has made this season could lead to a little more aggressiveness next time around, depending on the opportunities that present themselves.
And a blockbuster situation is brewing across the league that Morgan would be wise to monitor closely.
Carolina Panthers should monitor Maxx Crosby's situation entering the offseason
The Panthers haven't consistently generated pressure on opposing quarterbacks this season. Rookie second-round pick Nic Scourton is flashing immense promise, but D.J. Wonnum is out of contract in 2026. Patrick Jones II is currently out through back surgery, with third-rounder Princely Umanmielen going through some expected first-year growing pains.
The options around will suffice for now. Even so, Morgan should urgently address this critical area of the field when his third recruitment period begins.
It seems as if things are quickly reaching a breaking point between the Las Vegas Raiders and edge rusher Maxx Crosby. The AFC West club is playing for nothing other than pride, and before their game with the New York Giants, which could determine who gets the No. 1 pick in 2026, they have pulled some productive players from the lineup.
Tight end Brock Bowers and former Panthers safety Jeremy Chinn both went to injured reserve. The Raiders also told Crosby they are shutting him down for the next two games, which reportedly enraged the player. He wants to play and doesn't care about any high-end draft pick. Unfortunately, this decision has now been taken out of his hands.
Speculation immediately began swirling about Crosby and the Raiders going their separate ways. The Dallas Cowboys were reportedly interested in securing his services before the trade deadline. Still, Las Vegas flat-out refused even to contemplate disposing of its most accomplished defensive force by a considerable margin.
However, this is a rebuilding team that needs to hit the reset button. That could potentially make them more receptive to offers when the offseason arrives.
Crosby would not be cheap. It would be entirely out of character for Morgan to make such a bold move. He prefers to build through the draft and develop talent. At the same time, opportunities to acquire players of Crosby's stature don't come along every day.
The Raiders' phones would be ringing off the hook if Crosby submitted a trade request or if those in power made him available. It wouldn't hurt the Panthers to inquire about what it might take to land the edge threat. Whether it amounts to anything more than that is highly unlikely.