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LB Christian Rozeboom Age: 29 When the Panthers brought in Rozeboom on a one-year deal last winter, the idea was that he would be a core special teams player and back up Josey Jewell. But when Jewell was released in July to focus on his health, Rozeboom immediately became a full-time starter. The former Ram responded with a team-leading 122 tackles over 15 starts, but was a liability in coverage. The sense from some in league circles is that Morgan will pay an off-ball linebacker in free agency. But that wouldn’t preclude the Panthers from bringing Rozeboom back in the role they originally envisioned for him. Verdict: Staying

OT Yosh Nijman Age: 30 Rank: 108 Nijman’s importance to the Panthers increased in January when left tackle Ikem Ekwonu ruptured his patellar tendon in the first quarter of the wild-card loss to the Los Angeles Rams. At a minimum, the Panthers need a dependable tackle for at least part of the 2026 season while Ekwonu recovers. They could do worse than the 6-7, 314-pound Nijman, who’s a powerful run blocker but not as consistent while pass blocking. Pairing Nijman with a highly drafted tackle seems like a sensible way to address the position for the short and long terms. Verdict: Staying

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7082018/2026/03/03/panthers-free-agent-predictions-cade-mays-rico-dowdle/

C Cade Mays Age: 26 Rank on The Athletic’s free agent list: 38 The Panthers want Mays back after he started a career-high 12 games in 2025. But given that Mays is the third-highest ranked center on The Athletic’s list of the top 150 free agents — behind the Baltimore Ravens’ Tyler Linderbaum (sixth) and the Buffalo Bills’ Connor McGovern (24th) — Morgan may find the bidding too high. The Panthers already are investing a lot in the interior line with Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis, who’s a candidate to be extended. Will Morgan want to spend $8 million a year on a center? Verdict: Going RB Rico Dowdle Age: 27 Rank: 53 Dowdle bet on himself last offseason and cashed in by rushing for 1,000 yards for the second consecutive year and hitting on nearly all of his incentives. The former Dallas Cowboys back is looking for a multiyear deal, preferably with a team where he won’t have to share the carries. The Panthers are content rolling with Chuba Hubbard as their workhorse, and want to see what they have in Trevor Etienne and Jonathon Brooks, who’s returning from his second ACL surgery. Verdict: Going

I feel criminal cashing the below on a 94th minute deflection from the top of the box. But I'll take it. Turned the game off at halftime (0-0) for a work call, flipped it back on two minutes before the 3rd goal.

pray someone falls in love with Simpson

Its almost like paying huge money to an average qb is a bad idea

I say trade back later in the 1st round if someone wants to come up and get someone falling. Pick Blake Miller with that pick, who people are comparing to Lane Johnson. Go LB next, either the Stache or Hill. Then go C, S, or Edge in the third.

Yeah, with our luck with injuries we'd draft him and he'd pop his ACL walking across the stage to shake Goodell's hand. LOL

I am willing to accept pushing the salary cap to it's limits if we are improving the defense as much as possible. Because being balanced along the roster like that will allow us to plug in another QB down the line if need be. But I am not in favor of it if we are once again cutting off our nose financially and neglecting other positions just to try and put elite offensive pieces around the smallest starting QB in the league. Balance is the key.

We are in agreement that there should be enough on offense for us to compete in the division and snag a playoff spot. Especially if we continue to build up this defense which honestly should be the priority. We need to get back to that brand of Panthers football. Physically Bryce has been quite durable on the whole which is obviously a pleasant surprise. The issue is and always has been he just is not and never will be that guy who can often make something out of nothing with his arm which is what you need in a modern franchise QB. In this league margins are razor thin and you see guys like Stafford pushing 40 out there throwing lasers. With Bryce when you add in the height there is just no other way to look at it but working from a disadvantage in more ways than one. I just cannot fathom how people who are paid for their knowledge and ability to build and to lead a sports franchise to not just success but sustained success and a Super Bowl would willingly want to limit themselves like this. That's why it is crucial to have a fallback plan in some capacity this year. We'll see.

No it's legit! I probably wouldn't draft Downs before pick... 19? Just to play it safe.

Mason Thomas fascinates me but that size scares me even though he looks really good on film and has the production to back it.

Yeah, for sure. If you had a crystal ball trading down to accumulate more picks to throw at sure things would almost always be the right move barring a HOFer being available who is going to be drafted in the next few picks.

Dougie Hamilton is fugging Charmin. He was fugging soft here and he's been soft in NJ. No fugging thanks. I'll take Boom's upside over Hamilton sliding down the back side of a meh career.

As long as we can resign Mays I'm okay with this

Agree. Dude is a freak athlete at 6'6".

I feel like it’s almost always a bad idea

Kyler Murray FAQuarterback#1 Cardinals released QB Kyler Murray. It became a fait accompli that this would happen after no team wanted to pick up Kyler Murray’s guarantees in 2027. The Cardinals will eat $54 million in dead cap space assuming Murray is not designated a post-June 1 release. The veteran quickly becomes the most competent quarterback on the market, and the fact that he can play with salary offsets ala Russell Wilson after his Broncos release means he may be available for the minimum. The Vikings and Falcons are the most plausible fits if Murray wants to rehabilitate his value on a deal like that.

A LT is more crucial at this point than S or ILB. LT must be addressed ahead of either of those two. You won't find a LT in free agency worth a damn.

That's because PCL stands for posterior cruciate ligament. A patellar tendon is the actual tendon that connects the kneecap to the shinbone. Ickey ruptured his patellar tendon, not a torn PCL. Hence why the comparison of a torn PCL and ACL is not relevant to Ickey's situation.

If you had a crystal ball you wouldn't even need your 1st round pick. Crystal balls come in more handy for later round gems. Imagine trading away a 1st for several 2nds and 3rds and picking up multiple all pros and HOFers instead of just one.

"I wouldn’t read too much into [Dan] Morgan’s comments about [Bradley] Chubb, the fifth pick in 2018 who turns 30 this summer and is just two years removed from ACL surgery. Is Chubb a possibility for the Panthers? Sure. But the sense here is he’s not the top option." - Joe Person, The Athletic

Tale as old as time Song as old as rhyme Beauty and the beast

Morgan is also slow to announce restructures/releases. We probably won’t have a real idea on cap space until Saturday or Sunday. Hell maybe not even until Wednesday after the tampering period has already started. The first Free Agents the last two years we signed were: Robert Hunt Trevon Moehrig So we will see who will be first this year around noon on Monday.