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.
Assessing the Carolina Panthers roster
Coming off a two-win season that descended into complete chaos, the Carolina Panthers have a significant amount of hard work ahead when it comes to their roster this offseason. Dan Morgan's been complicit in the failings if nothing else, but he'll have a good sense of what more might be needed after one of the worst seasons in franchise history.
Or so we hope.
The Panthers - and David Tepper in particular - are placing a lot of faith in Morgan to steer this ship around. He's a respected evaluator in league circles. He was an exceptional player before embarking on his front-office journey. Things haven't gone well during his three seasons in Carolina, but there are some successful experiences to call upon with the Seattle Seahawks and Buffalo Bills.
Almost every position group is in dire need of upgrades. This bears more significance on the offensive side of the football, but the injury complications exposed the Panthers' lack of depth in the worst way imaginable throughout the campaign.
Morgan's plan for progress sat well with Tepper. It's not the same case among the fanbase, who've grown tired of false promises and internal promotions when they remain among the league's bottom feeders.
Actions will speak far louder than words. Assessing the current roster is just a small - yet pressing - piece of the puzzle.
Maximizing Carolina Panthers' assets
The Carolina Panthers have many holes to fill throughout what's already been an eventful offseason. Almost every position group needs to be revamped. Therefore, Dan Morgan must maximize every possible resource available.
Carolina is projected to have around $28.59 million in salary-cap space. This will increase further once sacrifices and contract restructures come to light. It's not exactly a bounty of financial assets all things considered - especially if Brian Burns and Frankie Luvu receive lucrative extensions.
Not only this, but the Panthers are without a first-round pick in 2024 after trading up for quarterback Bryce Young. Nobody in the building thought they'd be handing over the No. 1 pick this year - yet another damning indictment of Scott Fitterer's roster assessment of which Morgan was a huge part. The new (sort of) regime must play the hand they've been dealt efficiently.
The Panthers do have six other picks over the draft, including the No. 33 overall selection. Morgan specializes in talent evaluation - something he'll need to hit on in no uncertain terms during his first offseason period in the prominent position of power.
Expectations for an instant turnaround should be tempered. Delusions of grandeur before the 2023 season began are one of the big reasons why the Panthers are in this mess. It'll take time, but Morgan has the chance to lay the foundations for a successful future in the months ahead.
Extending key figures
Mismanaging contracts and letting established performers leave were stains on the Scott Fitterer era. Again, how complicit Dan Morgan was in the decision-making process is unclear. Considering his close relationship with the fired general manager, there was likely some strong input before final decisions were made.
One of the biggest examples of failing to do right by established figures centers on Brian Burns. The edge rusher remained nothing but professional throughout the offseason while others around the league sat out in pursuit of getting paid. This faith was misplaced as the Carolina Panthers failed to offer a sufficient extension.
Burns admitted to playing to not get hurt. His production suffered as a result. The former first-round pick stated he's preparing for every eventuality, but Morgan must find a way to keep his only legitimate pass-rusher around.
There are other potential extensions on the immediate horizon, too. Ferocious linebacker Frankie Luvu's production since joining the Panthers warrants another deal. It won't be cheap, but the Washington State product is an integral part of the team's defensive strategy.
The rest of Carolina's free-agent class could go either way. Some will be retained. Others will depart with little fanfare attached. Morgan should already have a good sense of what needs to be done in this regard. After all, he had to sit through one embarrassment after another like the rest of us this season.
Building around Carolina Panthers QB Bryce Young
One gets the sense that Dan Morgan's promotion has something to do with keeping staff around who were high on Bryce Young. The Carolina Panthers made a substantial investment in the quarterback - more than they initially anticipated. Doing everything in their power to ensure a profitable future with the No. 1 overall selection leading the charge is of critical importance.
This also applies to the head coach. If they don't 100 percent believe in Young, take them off the shortlist. Building a team first would be the preferred option, but this is the mess Carolina made for itself when previous general manager Scott Fitterer proudly declared this squad was ready to drop in a quarterback and take off.
Morgan's primary roster objective is simple. The Panthers must provide Young with the supporting cast he needs to excel in 2024 and beyond. No more cost-cutting - there needs to be significant investment in the skill positions and across the offensive line if the Heisman Trophy winner wants to stand any chance of meeting the lofty heights expected coming out of Alabama.
Whether this means making sacrifices on the defensive side of the ball remains to be seen. As previously stated, the Panthers aren't rich in assets this offseason. That means some tough choices await Morgan and whoever those in power choose as their analytics/salary-cap manager moving forward.
Young has talent, there's no getting away from that. How the Panthers nurture this is going to determine whether or not their massive gamble from atop the 2023 NFL Draft pays off.