Carolina Panthers insider touts dark-horse draft candidate for Dan Morgan.
The Carolina Panthers could go against the grain with their first-round pick.
The Carolina Panthers have a glaring need to fix their failing defense this offseason. However, general manager Dan Morgan cannot afford to ignore the options around quarterback Bryce Young entering a crucial year three of his professional career.
It’s a fine tightrope for Morgan to walk. He failed to find the right recruitment balance last year and Ejiro Evero’s defense paid a heavy price. That was a harsh lesson learned by the front-office leader. Adapting his approach is critical if the Panthers want to make improvements and enter NFC South championship consideration in 2025.
The Panthers aren’t exactly flush with spare cash currently. Morgan has nine draft selections at his disposal, which provides flexibility to maneuver depending on how the board shakes out. Hitting on most (if not all) of these picks is paramount to speed up Carolina’s rebuild.
There is a lot to navigate before then. Morgan is at the NFL Scouting Combine this week, meeting with prospects and assessing their performances during drills. After that, it’s identifying veteran free agents who can help plug gaps and make an instant impact.
Morgan has a huge amount of hard work ahead this offseason. Nothing should be off the table, although the days of rash gambles and mortgaging the franchise’s future are over under his leadership. This is about being methodical and finding the players who can perform while also adding to the culture shift Dave Canales is looking to install.
Carolina Panthers insider intrigued by Tyler Warren’s fit in Dave Canales’ offense
Joe Person from The Athletic highlighted the need to provide Young with the firepower needed to excel. The Panthers insider acknowledged the questions around the wide receiver room. He thought the tight end position was a more pressing priority, naming one dark-horse prospect as someone to watch at No. 8 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft.
“Fixing the defense should be the priority, but the Panthers need to keep adding pieces around [Bryce] Young, who took a major step forward in Year 2. The Panthers return their top four receivers. But Adam Thielen turns 35 in August, and Xavier Legette, last year’s first-round pick, struggled with drops and consistency as a rookie. The more pressing need could be tight end, where second-year Ja’Tavion Sanders would be the lone returnee if [Tommny] Tremble and [Ian] Thomas move on. It’s hard not to think about what Penn State tight end Tyler Warren could bring to the offense.”
Joe Person
Ian Thomas won’t be back. Tommy Tremble might get another short-term deal, but he’s far from a sure thing despite the obvious athletic intangibles attached.
Ja’Tavion Sanders displayed rookie promise and could become more influential with another offseason in the same scheme. That shouldn’t stop Morgan from finding another pass-catching asset if the right opportunity presents itself.
Tyler Warren is arguably the best tight-end prospect emerging from the college ranks this year. He’s a smooth route-runner with assured hands and exceptional body control. His 104 receptions for 1,233 receiving yards and eight touchdowns for the Penn State Nittany Lions in 2024 saw the player soar into first-round consideration, and deservedly so.
Looking at positional value and the needs elsewhere, it would be a bombshell of epic proportions if the Panthers took Warren in the top 10. There’s no denying his ability, but this is a decent class. The problem could be rectified a little further down the pecking order.
Either way, the Panthers cannot get complacent where Young’s supporting cast is concerned. That’s one of the very few guarantees heading into a fascinating recruitment period.