Things are certainly never quiet or easy for the Carolina Panthers, Within a few hours of the legal tampering window opening across the league, they filled a need at safety and lost the hottest defensive free agent on the market.
While losing Milton Williams was a clear body blow for Dan Morgan, they did secure the services of one of the best safeties on the open market The Panthers will pay Tre'von Moehrig potentially up to $60 million on a three-year deal according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. It was their first splash with the promise of more to come.
This was a massive need for the Panthers following the conclusion of the 2024 season. Starters Xavier Woods and Jordan Fuller were free agents. With both players struggling during the previous campaign, it seemed inevitable Carolina would go in a new direction.
Carolina Panthers acquired an immediate difference-maker in Tre'von Moehrig
While undrafted free agent Demani Richardson flashed in a smaller role a season ago, it would be silly to expect the second-year man out of Texas A&M to be a full-time starter. Unsurprisingly the Panthers turned their attention to one of the top names in the free-agent market. And Moehrig brings a significant amount to the table.
Drafted No. 43 overall out of TCU back in 2021, the Spring Branch native has spent his entire NFL career to date with the Las Vegas Raiders after they traded up with the San Francisco 49ers to select the player. Moehrig was named an immediate starter as a rookie.
The former Horn Frog has been a constant presence at the backend of the Raiders' defense, playing in 66 out of a possible 68 games, missing just two in the 2022 season. The Panthers are getting a player coming off a career year in 2024. Moehrig notched up 104 total tackles, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries, and 10 passes defended.
The player also graded out relatively well according to Pro Football Focus. His 67.5 overall grade ranked 59th amongst 170 qualifying safeties. This number is much higher than both the Panthers starters in 2024, with Woods and Fuller coming in at 125th and 135th respectively.
The big allure for Moehrig to the Panthers was likely his exceptional run defense. Fans know all too well how poor this critical area was a year ago — eight games of 200 or more yards conceded were a testament to that.
Moehrig established himself as one of the league’s better-run-defending safeties in 2024. According to Pro Football Focus, his exceptional 87.5 grade was good for seventh in the league. When it comes to run defense, this is a clear upgrade for Ejiro Evero’s unit.
The former second-round pick found success playing closer to the line of scrimmage, something the Panthers saw Jeremy Chinn do well in his rookie year under Phil Snow. While the player at times struggles in coverage, it’s fair to say his prevalence in stopping the run is a huge bonus for far and away the league's worst ground defense.
While missing out on both Williams and D.K. Metcalf in the space of 24 hours isn't ideal, securing the services of one of the better safeties in the free agent market is a plus for Carolina as they look to rebuild Evero’s unit in time for the 20025 campaign.