5 pressing priorities for Carolina Panthers GM Dan Morgan in 2024
By Dean Jones
What pressing priorities await new Carolina Panthers general manager Dan Morgan after his in-house promotion became official?
After significant speculation and several candidates interviewed, the Carolina Panthers opted to stick with what they knew and hire Dan Morgan to the newly named position of president of football operations/general manager. This received a mixed response from the fanbase, with many expecting team owner David Tepper to go with a hard reset and not promote from within once again.
Tepper likes keeping people on the books he's worked with previously. Morgan's been around the franchise during some suspect roster-building over the last three years. Despite hiring a consultancy firm to assist with the decision-making process, the under-fire billionaire opted to elevate the former Panthers linebacker from a rich pool of potential options.
There's a chance Morgan can thrive in his newfound role. He'll likely get some help with an incoming hire specializing in analytics and salary-cap management. But there is a lot of hard work ahead during a pivotal offseason.
With this in mind, here are five pressing priorities facing Morgan in 2024.
Carolina Panthers must hire the right head coach
The first item on Dan Morgan's agenda will be influencing the head coaching hire. Reports indicate that he's been part of the interview process alongside other current employees. This should give him a head start if nothing else.
The Carolina Panthers are currently arranging second interviews with potential options before finalizing their choice. Brian Callahan won't be among them after he took the Tennessee Titans job. There's also the prospect of waiting around on the off chance someone like Ben Johnson or Mike Macdonald takes the plunge.
If Morgan is looking for someone he's already got a close connection with, then Ejiro Evero, Dan Quinn, or Dave Canales might be the choice. David Tepper will make the final call, but the new general manager must pound the table hard for his preferred target to establish an early sense of authority.