All the focus is on roster cuts right now, but that doesn't mean the Carolina Panthers won't be looking for ways to improve their squad if the right opportunities arrive.
And one NFL insider believes a possible low-risk trade could help solve a potential issue, reuniting someone with defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero along the way.
Dan Morgan is an aggressive roster builder working with a long-term plan in place. The general manager is trimming the fat while also keeping half an eye on the phones and waiver wire for other alternatives. Looking at the way he approached matters last summer, it would be surprising if the initial 53-man squad was still the same at the end of the week.
Carolina Panthers could add to their cornerback room with Damarri Mathis before Week 1
The Panthers don't have the No. 1 waiver priority, but they're in the top 10. Even so, Morgan could easily dispose of a late-round draft selection or agree to a pick swap with someone to jump the queue.
Bill Barnwell from ESPN thought Denver Broncos cornerback Damarri Mathis makes a ton of sense for Carolina. He thrived under Evero's guidance previously, and the respected insider thought this could be a win-win for all parties if he's made surplus to requirements.
"[Damarri] Mathis' best season came with defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero in Denver, and he hasn't been able to reach those same heights since Evero left for Carolina. The Panthers are set with Jaycee Horn, Mike Jackson and nickel corner Chau Smith-Wade as their three starting corners, but Mathis could push the 28-year-old Jackson and serve as Carolina's primary reserve on the outside. Mathis is owed $3.4 million in 2025, so Denver might essentially buy a draft pick by eating some of that cash."Bill Barnwell, ESPN
Not many of Evero's former players have shone in Carolina. The Panthers might also think they have enough in the cornerback room after the exceptional rise of undrafted rookie Corey Thornton this offseason.
Thornton was nothing short of phenomenal both at training camp and in preseason games. Jaycee Horn, Mike Jackson Sr., and Chau Smith-Wade are also around, but adding another dependable presence wouldn't be the worst idea in the world.
Morgan will keep his options open. The Panthers cannot afford to have any weak links on defense — not with Evero's position becoming increasingly untenable. If he believes there is some merit to bringing Mathis into the fold, it's something to consider.
Whether it becomes a reality or not is another matter.