Dan Morgan's ruthless roster-building represents a breath of fresh air for the Carolina Panthers. Nobody gets a free ride anymore. Everything must be earned as the general manager looks to raise standards and increase competition across the board.
This was no more evident than at the wide receiver position in recent days. The Panthers spent the No. 8 overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft on Tetairoa McMillan. They brought Jimmy Horn Jr. into the franchise with their final pick. That didn't stop Morgan from adding another via the remaining veteran pool once the draft concluded.
The Panthers raised a few eyebrows by signing Hunter Renfrow, ending his NFL exile after the wide receiver failed to find a home in 2024. This doesn't come with any guarantees, but it's something for fans to keep an eye on from afar over the summer.
Hunter Renfrow must impose himself quickly with the Carolina Panthers
Renfrow faces a new brutal reality. The Panthers are looking to go younger. They have one experienced slot option in Adam Thielen, who's entering the final year of his deal and could retire once the campaign concludes. The former Clemson star has a shot, but he's starting almost from the bottom all over again.
That's strange to say about someone with a Pro Bowl honor and a 1,000-yard receiving season under his belt, but that was a long time ago. It's not 2021 anymore, and the NFL waits for nobody.
Either Renfrow picks things up quickly, or the Panthers will go with their young guys. It's that simple.
McMillan, Thielen, and Xavier Legette are roster locks. The same goes for Jalen Coker, who flashed enormous promise as an undrafted free agent and should get another chance to become more influential. All bets are off aside from that, so Renfrow has a tough task in pursuit of forcing his way into the team's plans.
The Panthers see something in Horn that can be developed. He's undersized but plays fast and aggressively. He's an elusive threat with the football in his hands and boasts a lot of similar traits to Renfrow. That could mean it's a straight fight between the two, although taking both onto the roster at the expense of David Moore couldn't be completely dismissed either.
It'll be fascinating to watch things unfold over the summer. The Panthers have an abundance of weapons for quarterback Bryce Young. They need players who can stretch the field (McMillan, Legette) and players who are capable of creating separation quickly over short-to-intermediate routes (Coker, Horn, Renfrow). But the added urgency for those on the rotation or fringes is there for all to see.
May the best man win.