[The Athletic] Panthers’ offseason to-do list

[Icege]

Link to article

1. Fix the run defense

• Panthers' 2025 defensive accolades: the fourth team in history and the first since 1980 to allow 3,000 rushing yards in a season; allowed the most points (534) in league history
• Morgan/Canales say scheme wasn't an issue, that it was a combo of players and coaches. LB + DB coaches were let go, front office has to go get better pieces
• Keep an eye on DJ Jones, who signed a 3yr, $30M deal with Denver in 2022. Ranks fourth in stopping the run compared to Shy Tuttle (130th).

2. Get Young another playmaker

• Per a league source, Diontae racked up fines and wasn't practicing much when the team decided to trade him to Baltimore.
• XL had the league's 22nd-worst catch percentage (58.3%) which was still higher than Diontae Johnson (49.3%) and David Moore (56.1%).
• Coker was a good find and Thielen still produces, but they need another field stretcher whether it be Chris Godwin or Tee Higgins.

3. Overhaul the safeties

• Fuller and Scott were disappointments. Woods and Franklin Jr would make plays, but both attracted the attention of officials (4 penalties each).
• Demani Richardson was solid, but look for Morgan to double down like he did with the iOL last offseason.
• Colts' Julian Blackmon, pending medicals, could be a value signing.

4. Lock up Horn

• Earned his first Pro Bowl berth.
• Upped his offseason regimen after playing just 22 of 51 games in his first three seasons.
• Reached career highs in tackles, sacks, and pass breakups.

5. Tackle the offensive tackles' contracts

• Moton was PFF's 20th-ranked pass protector and Icky improved his pass blocking this season as well.
• Likely scenario is that Moton is extended to knock down his incoming $31.3M cap hit (11.5% of the cap).
• Have to make a decision on Icky's bonus option, which could cost an estimated $18.4M against the cap.

 

[Johnstonny]

Get as many dawgs as you can get.

[kungfoodude]

1 minute ago, Johnstonny said:

Get as many dawgs as you can get.

And less puppies.

[rayzor]

Agreed to all of this, including the order.

#1 run D. I don't care how....fix it, dammit.

#2 another playmaker. Preferably a receiver that can take the top off defenses. Since we know BY9 can toss it down field, get someone who can scare secondaries.

#3 we've got a clean slate on safeties this year. Rebuild it right.

#4 do what you can to keep horn around

#5 do what you can to keep the OTs around.

It just makes sense.

[ECHornet]

That’s a really good breakdown with plausible solutions too. 
 

I’m most interested in what we decide to do with Moton this offseason. 

[kungfoodude]

3 minutes ago, ECHornet said:

That’s a really good breakdown with plausible solutions too. 
 

I’m most interested in what we decide to do with Moton this offseason. 

It would be a big mistake to let Moton walk while attempting to shore up the rest of a terrible roster. Now is not the time to nuke the only functional unit on the team.

[LinvilleGorge]

I've been begging for a sideline to sideline legit FS forever. Deon Grant was as close as we ever got and we didn't even sign him to a second contract.

[Bear Hands]

I quite like the Blackmon idea - he’s a good DB

[kungfoodude]

4 minutes ago, LinvilleGorge said:

I've been begging for a sideline to sideline legit FS forever. Deon Grant was as close as we ever got and we didn't even sign him to a second contract.

Well most of our attempts have been busts. It's another position we have consistently failed at(like WR).

[LinvilleGorge]

Just now, kungfoodude said:

Well most of our attempts have been busts. It's another position we have consistently failed at(like WR).

It's a position we've largely neglected to invest in.

[Aussie Tank]

The answer is lots we have lots to do 

[kungfoodude]

1 minute ago, LinvilleGorge said:

It's a position we've largely neglected to invest in.

Not necessarily. Don't forget they drafted Chinn to be that FS.

[LinvilleGorge]

Just now, kungfoodude said:

Not necessarily. Don't forget they drafted Chinn to be that FS.

There's no way they drafted him to be a sideline to sideline FS. We just tried to make him that because we didn't have any other option.

[mrcompletely11]

26 minutes ago, Icege said:

Link to article

 

5. Tackle the offensive tackles' contracts

• Likely scenario is that Moton is extended to knock down his incoming $31.3M cap hit (11.5% of the cap).

 

Just bite the bullet and start clean after next year.  It makes the most sense