NFL insider outlines potential Carolina Panthers path to draft prosperity

The Carolina Panthers are in the final stages of planning before a hugely important 2024 NFL Draft for the franchise. They don't have a first-round pick after gift-wrapping the No. 1 overall selection to the Chicago Bears. However, all hope is not lost if Dan Morgan maximizes the capital available.

Carolina has seven selections across the remaining rounds. Much of the talk is on what the best route forward is - especially with their two early second-rounders. Speculation and hearsay are rampant, but remaining calm amid the chaos is the only way Morgan is going to successfully navigate his first draft as the team's undisputed front-office supremo.

It'll probably be a quiet first day for the Panthers. Morgan hasn't given any indication about trading into the first round - although he didn't completely dismiss the possibility when speaking to the media. The more likely scenario would be moving back a few spots from either No. 33 or No. 39 depending on what offers present themselves.

Carolina Panthers must maximize every possible draft asset in 2024

This is a topic discussed by Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. The respected NFL insider mapped out the perfect Panthers blueprint for draft prosperity, centering on finding difference-makers for quarterback Bryce Young in the passing game and leveraging a trade down the order for additional assets to help the team's vast rebuilding project.

"Supporting Bryce Young will certainly be a priority, and given the strength of the receiver class, it’s not out of line to think that new GM Dan Morgan will tap into wideouts at Nos. 33, 39 or 65. That said, having the first pick in the second round can put a team in a position of power on the Friday of draft weekend, so it’d hardly be shocking to see Morgan hold an auction for the pick after the first round to grow the team’s draft war chest."

Morgan will be watching events unfold closely throughout Day 1. In an ideal world, one of the quarterbacks drops out of the first 32 selections and a team is enamored enough with the signal-caller to make an intriguing offer. This occurred last season when the Tennessee Titans surged up for Will Levis to end his dramatic slide.

This would be the best-case scenario in pursuit of extracting maximum compensation. If not, then the Panthers might be willing to accept less if those in power believe they can still get their desired prospect a few spots down.

It'll be fascinating to see how Morgan and others in influential positions approach this process. There were way too many cooks not on the same page last time around. At least for this event, there seems to be more collaboration between Morgan and head coach Dave Canales. Something that can hopefully lead to a more purposeful draft that finds the exact characters needed to spearhead their plans for progress.

Of course, there's an elephant in the room. David Tepper's renowned meddling in football affairs became an ongoing, toxic frustration. The billionaire owner promised to stay out of the way moving forward, but fans remain nervous as to whether or not he can resist throwing his weight around if a specific prospect takes his fancy.

Time will tell on that one. Regardless of Tepper's involvement, the onus is on Morgan to devise a strategy that can give his roster revamp a significant shot in the arm.

Anything less will come with grave consequences attached.