Even though the Carolina Panthers have the playoffs in sight with four games remaining, some critical decisions await general manager Dan Morgan this offseason. And if he gets them right, this upstart franchise could be among the contenders next time around.
That is how high the stakes are for Morgan in his third offseason. He's got a long-term plan, and his methodical roster-building has been a breath of fresh air. But with the Panthers right on the cusp of greatness, perhaps taking some bolder moves could enter his thought process.
And one NFL Draft analyst thought Morgan should throw a curveball so big it would catch everyone by surprise.
Carolina Panthers throw massive mock draft curveball with Jeremiyah Love pick
Ryan Fowler from The Pewter Plank on FanSided thought Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love would be too good an opportunity to pass up if he fell to the Panthers, who currently hold the No. 16 overall pick. It's a crowded toom right now, but that would change if Rico Dowdle takes his chances elsewhere in free agency.
"[Jeremiyah] Love is a top-five player for me in the class, and adding him here at 15 is immense value, regardless of how the consensus views the RB position. Love is in the class of Bijan Robinson, Saquon Barkley, and Jahmyr Gibbs types coming out of school in my evaluations, and I expect him to become one of the NFL’s premier offensive weapons early in his NFL career. Carolina has other needs, sure, but you don’t get upset at adding a ballplayer like this, and what a fit he’d be for an offense that has its top back (Rico Dowdle) set to enter free agency."Ryan Fowler, The Pewter Plank
Morgan is all about taking the best players available. The Panthers selected wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan at No. 8 overall in 2025 when most experts thought a defensive prospect would be more prudent. If he believes Love can be a legitimate difference-maker, he won't hesitate to pull the trigger.
Even so, it would be a bombshell of epic proportions. The Panthers have Chuba Hubbard under contract, and Dowdle has done more than enough for another deal. They spent a fourth-round pick on Trevor Etienne this year, and there is also the small matter of Jonathon Brooks' return from a torn ACL to factor into this equation.
That doesn't detract from Love's talent. He's a sensational dual-threat force capable of taking the league by storm immediately. It wasn't enough for the Fighting Irish to make the college football playoffs, but his exceptional campaign makes him a first-round lock.
Where he'll go is anyone's guess. But for the Panthers, nothing should be dismissed entirely at this early stage.