Thinking Panthers GM Dan Morgan has set DC Ejiro Evero’s defense up right already, with an honest to God nose tackle and hitting machine of a linebacker (135 tackles, 11 starts in 2024) named Rozeboom, and there’s still $$$ in the checkbook, so…
Whew! barely covers the first handful of Free Agent signees, and Morgan still plucked a jewel of a second running back from Dallas’ eye by adding Rico Dowdle https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4038815/rico-dowdle to improve Bryce Young’s potential targets. $16MM for two years of Tommy Tremble’s future is part of fuller tight end-running back rooms that HC Canales stated was run-first in Year One. Mission accomplished by Hubbard, who was everything Panthers wanted from leadership, and well worth rewarding contract-wise.
Good blockers who catch footballs? Fannies have been waiting (for anything close to Ghost of Greg Olsen), would Canales et al dare take that TE from Penn State? $16MM for Tremble and J’Tav Sanders already here says maybe not, three’s a crowd.
Rozeboom from Rams is a bona fide stud, up through the ranks quickly – Noo-buddy! gets to question Morgan’s ability to judge prime football talent AND get it back to the cave. And then there’s Tilis.
3/13/25 GShork on Panthers GM early success shoring up Defense and keeping their own FAs.
The literally biggest, at 6’4″, 332 lbs. of the FAs is Bobby Brown III, who signed on for 3 yrs/$21MM; DL Tershawn Wharton (3 yrs. /$45MM) and Patrick Jones II (3 yrs/$20MM), plus Safety Tre’von Nehrig (3 yrs/$51MM) who is a genuine thumper in the back line. Is that working or not? JC Horn’s 4 yr./$100MM is possibly an out-sized contract extension after first healthy year of lock-down reputation. I recall Horn getting three PIs against Chiefs and it was considered excellent, but $100MM, its #MrTeppers$.
Panthers defense was particularly woeful in the line without Derrick Brown, and giving up over 3,000 yards was legitimate burn, sorry Shy. Let’s just clarify the Worst part though – It was ONE POINT more at 534 than previous record, which was in a 16 game season (Colts, 533). Leave WORST at the door (32.5), life wasn’t good at all. Putting big bodies in with Mr. Brown in Ejiro Evero’s 3-4, that is the difference maker that WILL change absolutely everything.
Yes, expectations! of becoming a much better unit front to back started with a whoosh this week.
It’s Thursday, Dan is always in the discussion
A’Shawn Robinson had a bunch of sacks, then wore out with constant use against run, Rozeboom is a bona fide stud, up through NFL ranks quickly https://pantherswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/panthers/2025/03/13/nfl-free-agency-panthers-christian-rozeboom-nickname/82384733007/ – but Noo-buddy! gets to question Morgan’s ability to judge prime football talent & get at least his fair share back to the cave. Will Trevon Wallace benefit from watching some (a ton) of film with Kuechly? NO DOUBT. Leggette with Stevie SuperStar? Again, have to believe that would be a goodness, even if he couldn’t turn Mingo into a route runner AND catcher.
Are the Panthers actually paying a premium, or has #MrTeppers$ become a non-factor? By all accounts, certain players are coming for Evero, previous experience positives https://www.panthers.com/team/players-roster/a-shawn-robinson/ Morgan showed he wasn’t actually a newbie last year just sitting in the big chair, getting an A-1 prospect in 1st round (Leggette) AND regaining a #2 pick for this year for openers. Verdict: Very much like Commanders rising from ashes, and Detroit as proof of scaling tough history, Success takes time and coordination. It is very definitely the Panthers defense’s time.
The old saw is that offensive lines get talked about until there ISN’T a concern-problem, and by all accounts, Christensen is a bargain-plus, https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/44210919/brady-christensen-agrees-deal-panthers, Mayes, Corbett (back from another injury year) are considered as a unit to be super-solid. Ensuring Bryce Young’s pocket safety (29 sacks, didn’t play 5 games) was a primary improvement of last free agency, and he scored six TDs, none of the Cam reaching the football over the goal line from HERE variety.
From thirty-four out means people are watching out for you. Trust is earned, there is a Leader, several of them in fact. Sunshine and joy in Charlotte? NC sunshine seldom leaves, and organizationally-speaking, Good is still the enemy of Great, but its still too early for philosophy. https://www.jimcollins.com/article_topics/articles/good-to-great.html
Salty lines love drive blocking, Chuba Hubbard and ANOTHER 1,000 yard guy who catches passes, yes, Panthers have a better batch of players coming to town, three year contract guys, not just ‘prove its.’ They did that elsewhere to everyone’s satisfaction in football brain trust here, go with it.
Morgan has talked early about excising emotion from In/Out decisions, and Shaq Thompson’s injuries finally put him over the bubble, even after buyer friendly terms last year. There was a single too-early rush about getting a certain nose defender who decided to take a bunch of Patriots money instead, and okay, as best practices Dan was in on that, and not long after, things worked out better on budget overall, thank you Bobby Brown III and Tershawn Wharton. By the time this blog-information gets read, you shouldn’t bet against more goodness happening.
The personnel is clearly better
Will Charlotte-Carolina people get crazy-hyped about Panthers resurrection of pride? No rush to judgement, but first batch of Year Two from Morgan has plenty of A-1 heft to it. Between today and first practice to see who’s who of additions to those bloodied and beaten through combat in the ring last year, there will be plenty of names forgotten as unnecessary.
Whatever I’ve said about Cam never throwing a receiver open, or putting a rainbow out there for Leggette or whomever to run underneath, its a part of the offense now. Stopping people from doing whatever they had in mind (almost certainly RUNNING the ball) is already a solid defensive proposal. Thanks Dan!
As a potential reporter on events of Season 2 of Canales, Morgan, Tilis (no #MrTeppers$), I’m okay with not having to visit training camp in the literal cauldron that Spartanburg was. The two times I journeyed to the Wofford campus, once to specifically see DJ Moore and C-MC, yow! This is what a best practices, successful rebuild should-does look like.
I was in Tampa ’81-’82 when the Selmon brothers, specifically LeRoy, who was All-Pro dominator-level defensive end in the day, Huuuugh! Green at other D-end (so fast, relentless), definite icon QB Doug Williams, and former USC star running back Anthony Davis, went all the way to NFC championship game, worst to first. My cousin Frank Ball was a drummer in Bucs band, for $5 I didn’t even use press credentials with ITS SPORTS! to get into Rowdies soccer games.
There’s that bitty little buzz in Charlotte, and just sayin’ – its NOT the Hornets https://www.espn.com/nba/team/_/name/cha/charlotte-hornets– but believing fans will be packing the Panthers practice site downtown this summer, when the new people are viewed as absolute positives (not like Diontae…), they’re mostly back and already happier.
CDTalent Enterprises 