3 winners (and 2 losers) from first wave of Carolina Panthers 2024 free agency

Who are the big winners and losers from the first wave of what's been an eventful 2024 free agency for the Carolina Panthers?

It's been a rollercoaster start to free agency for the Carolina Panthers. Dan Morgan and his staff have begun cleaning up the mess left behind by previous regimes. Some haven't liked the tough decisions taken, but they have a plan and seem to be running the football operation with more efficiency than seen in some time.

Some established figures are no longer around. That was to be expected as the new power structure looks to implement their ideas to get the Panthers back to some semblance of respectability. Besides, to make an omelet, you have to break a few eggs.

Morgan won't care about the opinions of those outside the franchise. He knows how the Panthers are being perceived league-wide and wants to change that fact. If that means upsetting some players who were part of a two-win team, so be it. There is a new sheriff in town, one who's adopting a business-first approach with no sentiment attached whatsoever.

This is just the start, but here are three winners and two losers from Carolina's first wave of 2024 free agency.

Winner No. 1

Brandt Tilis - Executive VP of Football Operations

As previously stated, the Carolina Panthers inherited a complete mess from those who came before. Bad contracts and poor roster construction weren't going to be fixed overnight, but the impact made by Brandt Tilis since his arrival from the Kansas City Chiefs has completely shifted the landscape financially.

Tilis has been given the green light to make short-term sacrifices for long-term financial prosperity. Dan Morgan spoke during his introductory presser about the need to stop kicking the can down the road. Carolina's releases with little in the way of salary-cap relief attached represent ripping off the band-aid to provide flexibility in the coming years.

Looking at how the Panthers' contracts with those joining are being worked, Tilis' influence is clear. There's a sensible, team-first approach that wasn't evident previously. Something that should the Panthers in tremendous stead moving forward.