Even though the Carolina Panthers are tied for the NFC South lead with four games remaining, there is still a lot of hard work ahead to get this progressing franchise back among the contenders. And make no mistake, general manager Dan Morgan will already be devising a plan on how best to attack his third offseason at the helm.
The Panthers look well-positioned to be aggressive. Morgan has money to spend, although not much. He's also got eight picks in the 2026 NFL Draft as things stand, so there are far worse positions for any club to be in.
Fans have complete faith in Morgan, especially when it comes to the draft. And one analyst thought the Panthers could take a risky gamble with their first-round pick to give their secondary a much-needed boost.
Carolina Panthers select Jermod McCoy in CBS Sports' latest 2026 mock draft
Josh Edwards from CBS Sports linked the Panthers to Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy in his latest 2026 mock draft. He's missed a lot of football due to injury, but the prospect's talent could provide Carolina with a legitimate 1-2 shutdown pairing with Pro Bowl corner Jaycee Horn.
"Carolina signed Jaycee Horn to a long-term extension, but the rest of the unit was patched with glue and construction paper. Jermod McCoy's 2025 season was top-10 overall caliber, but he has been absent all season due to an injury; a situation that could ultimately be to the Panthers' gain."Josh Edwards
McCoy is an exceptional performer when healthy. The gifted defensive back excels at mirroring receivers and anticipating routes. He's intelligent, relentless in pursuit, and highly dynamic, which makes him the perfect fit for Carolina in this scenario.
There are concerns. McCoy suffered a torn ACL in January and hasn't played since. He'll be the subject of stern medical assessments throughout his pre-draft assessment phase, but he's young enough to ensure he can get back to his old self.
That will be a decision for others to make. The Panthers need to hit on their first-rounder this year with long-term NFC South dominance there for the taking. There will be safer bets to make, but very few will come with such a high-end reward if McCoy puts his injury problems behind him.
It'll be interesting to see how Morgan approaches this offseason. The Panthers are getting closer while still far from genuine Super Bowl aspirations. But with a few notable tweaks, nobody will be excited about the prospect of coming up against Carolina next time around.
And if everything checks out on the health front, McCoy could be an intriguing draft option for Morgan's shortlist.