Carolina Panthers general manager Dan Morgan knows the linebacker position like the back of his hand. The former first-round pick from Miami became one of the great linebackers in franchise history and, following his playing career, found a path back to Charlotte and later became the key decision-maker for the organization.
The 2024 NFL Draft was his first leading the Panthers, and it hasn't gone according to plan yet. Carolina's rookie class from that year enters its third year in the league, with undrafted free agent signee Jalen Coker outplaying all of them to become a valuable piece of the team's offense.
One player from this group may have the most to prove out of anyone, including first-round pick Xavier Legette. Morgan's first defensive selection as general manager was Kentucky linebacker Trevin Wallace, who has taken some time to get accustomed to the next level.
A make-or-break year for Trevin Wallace could be decided by Carolina Panthers' offseason additions
As a rookie, Wallace was thrust into the starting lineup when Shaq Thompson went down with an injury. He was never supposed to start that early, and it showed throughout his rookie season, which ended in late December with shoulder surgery. Last year, he became an incumbent starter, but not before Josey Joewell was let go as he continued to recover from a concussion suffered late in 2024.
Wallace is a great athlete with incredible physicality and downhill closing speed. The flashes were intriguing, especially at moments in coverage, but it was far too inconsistent and left the Panthers with one of the worst linebacker rooms in the league. Wallace then had another shoulder surgery, and for any linebacker, that's a concerning situation.
Thankfully, that changed this offseason.
Morgan made one of the biggest free-agent splash signings in All-Pro linebacker Devin Lloyd to pair with Wallace. Lloyd will open things defensively with his ability to run up the ladder in coverage over the middle of the field while being the main funnel to the ball carrier from the second level.
In theory, this could allow Wallace to finally take the next step and hone into his athletic profile to pair with the physical nature he plays with at the position. However, it is getting closer to being a misstep for Morgan and the front office.
I'm a big proponent of waiting at least three years for a player to develop before making a decision on whether or not they have a future with the organization. Wallace enters that critical third season with not a ton to show for other than underwhelming play at too many moments and back-to-back shoulder surgeries.
Staying healthy will be the biggest factor, but also how he responds to the speed of the game and Lloyd's presence. If he can take advantage of the growth Lloyd could provide for the Panthers' defense, it would help Wallace immensely.
This is it for Wallace—he must prove he can be a reliable starting linebacker in the NFL and for Carolina. Expectations shouldn't be high, but finding consistency weekly and playing with better discipline are the type of expectations I have for the former SEC linebacker.
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