Dan Morgan knows what must be done if the Carolina Panthers want to take the next step. The general manager was unhappy with the team's lack of pass rush despite winning the NFC South and making the playoffs. It sounds like this will be his top priority when the recruitment period officially commences.
Nic Scourton flashed enough promise to suggest he can become a long-term starter with some extra refinement. Princely Umanmielen has some work ahead to become a well-rounded force, but his flashes as a situational rusher leave reasons for optimism. Those are the building blocks, but there are also unknowns.
Patrick Jones II is under contract for one more season, but he is coming off significant back surgery. D.J. Wonnum is a free agent, and it's hard to see how he returns unless it's on an extremely team-friendly deal. Even then, it won't be enough, so Morgan must be aggressive to find the upgrades needed.
And it has to go well.
Carolina Panthers must urgently address their edge-rushing options this offseason
Kristopher Knox of The Bleacher Report considered a lack of growth on the defensive edge the worst-case scenario for the Panthers in 2026. If this objective isn't achieved, the analyst believes Carolina will only go so far in its third campaign under head coach Dave Canales.
"Carolina will need to continue putting pieces around Young, and retaining running back Rico Dowdle would be wise. However, its biggest priority should involve improving a pass rush that was one of the league's worst. Defensive tackle Derrick Brown and rookie linebacker Nic Scourton tied for the team-lead with five sacks apiece this past season. As a team, Carolina logged just 30 sacks, tied for the third-fewest in the league. The Panthers simply can't expect to go far in the postseason if they can't get after opposing quarterbacks."Kristopher Knox
Pressure breaks pipes. The Panthers haven't generated enough of that since Brian Burns was traded to the New York Giants. That was a contentious issue at the time and even more so now, especially considering the Florida State product has accumulated 25 sacks in his two seasons away from the club.
Fans remain confident in Morgan. The Panthers' growth since he took charge is encouraging. He's also rectified some glaring issues since assuming command of the front office, so it would be disappointing if he didn't do the same where Carolina's pass-rush is concerned this offseason.
This could be the missing piece of the puzzle. Adding more explosiveness to the linebacking corps is another high priority, and the Panthers don't have much cash to spend right now. That will change in the near future, and hopefully, Morgan can bolster the edge enough for the franchise to successfully defend its NFC South crown in 2026.
Nothing else will do.