RSS Panthers Team Notes

GM Dan Morgan’s 2025 performance: Grading Rounds 1-3 of the NFL Draft

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The Panthers hired Dan Morgan as president of football operations and general manager on January 22, 2024. Morgan is a Panthers “lifer” after spending his seven-year NFL career in Charlotte from 2001 through 2007 then spending years in the Panthers front office. Let’s take a look back on Morgan’s second season as GM. We’ve previously evaluated his performance with trades and with free agents.

Let’s now assess Morgan’s 2025 draft day performance. Today we will focus on draft day trades plus first three rounds, will focus on players drafted in Rounds 3-7.

Draft day performance

It’s a bit of a fool’s errand to evaluate a draft class after just one season because we still don’t know what type of player these guys will be in three or four years, but one season is all the data we have.

When grading draft picks it’s important to measure their performance relative to rookie expectations. My general criteria for rookies is this:

Round 1 – Average contributing starter

Round 2 – Spot starter and key rotational piece

Rounds 3-4 – Capable rotational depth

Rounds 5-6 – Special teams

Round 7 – Any contributions is a borderline miracle

1st Round, No. 8 – Tetairoa McMillan, wide receiver

2025 stats: 17 games (17 starts), 70 receptions, 1,014 yards, 7 TDs

The University of Arizona star was a home run pick. He was named by the Pro Football Writers of America as the rookie of the year, offensive rookie of the year, and a member of the all-rookie team. A rookie exceeding 1,000 receiving yards on a team with an inconsistent passing attack like the Panthers and no true WR2 to take the heat off him is remarkable.

At 6-foot-5 and 212 pounds he can overpower smaller defenders. With his crisp routes and athleticism he quickly separates from linebackers and safeties. He has All-Pro potential and could develop into one of the best receivers in the league for the next decade.

Grade relative to expectations: A+

2nd Round, No. 51 – Nic Scourton, outside linebacker

2025 stats: 17 games (8 starts), 47 tackles, 5.0 sacks, 7 tackles for loss, 9 QB hits, 15 pressures

The Panthers defense struggled all season to get to the quarterback, and Scourton’s five sacks tied Derrick Brown for the most on the team. His 15 pressures also tied Brown for most on the team. In other words, the two most disruptive players on the Panthers defense are a previous Pro Bowler in Derrick Brown and a second round rookie in Nic Scourton.

After starting the season somewhat slowly with 11 tackles through the Panthers first seven games, over the next 10 games he racked up 46 tackles and 3.5 sacks. The progress he made as the season progressed was evident, which is exactly what teams want to see from second round picks. He had a solid rookie season and could develop into an impact player.

Grade relative to expectations: B+

Round 3, No. 77 – Princely Umanmielen, outside linebacker

2025 stats: 16 games (0 starts), 24 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 2 tackles for loss, 5 pressures

The former Florida and Ole Miss star generally met expectations for a third round pick. He played 222 defensive snaps over 16 games, or about 14 snaps per game, making him a consistent rotational piece. Carolina traded up eight spots in the third round to land Umanmielen so the front office was definitely targeting him given his skillset and the team’s needs.

Realistic expectations for a third round pick is to provide capable rotational depth, and Princely did just that. That said, Panthers fans were probably hoping for more impact from his rookie season given the team’s massive need for more pressure off the edge, but that will have to come in future years.

Grade relative to expectations: B-

Rounds 1-3 summary

In all, Dan Morgan and his front office talent evaluators had a strong first three rounds of the 2025 draft. Tetairoa McMillan will give the Panthers their first legit WR1 since DJ Moore left Carolina after the 2022 season. Nic Scourton flashed potential to develop into a capable full-time starter. Princely Umanmielen was fine for a third round pick and gained some valuable experience in his rookie season.

In assessing Dan Morgan’s performance in the draft, he gets extra credit for knocking it out of the part with Tet McMillan.

Well done, Mr. Morgan.

Overall grade for Rounds 1-3: A–
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Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...rformance-grading-rounds-1-3-of-the-nfl-draft
 
GM Dan Morgan’s 2025 performance: The final grade

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Over the past several weeks we’ve been assessing Dan Morgan’s performance in his second year on the job as general manager of the Carolina Panthers. We’ve reviewed his trades, scrutinized his free agent additions, and evaluated his 2025 draft performance, including Rounds 1-3 and Rounds 4-7.

It’s now time to roll everything up and give him a final grade for his rookie year. The way I grade is a “C” is “meets expectations”, so As and Bs exceeded expectations while anything below a C fell short of reasonable expectations. Here we go:

The Adam Thielen trade

The Panthers front office kept its powder dry on the trade front for the most part in 2025, executing just one player trade on the season. In August 2025 — just before the season began — Dan Morgan traded productive veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen back to his old home with the Minnesota Vikings. In return the Panthers moved up from the 7th round to the 5th round in 2026 and from the 5th round to the 4th round in 2027.

In the end, the Panthers would have been better off retaining their clearcut No. 2 receiver who had unmistakable chemistry with up-and-down quarterback Bryce Young. In two seasons in Carolina Thielen averaged just over five receptions and 60 yards per game. More importantly, he hauled in a remarkable 77.4% of his targets in 2024.

No other Panthers receiver stepped up and claimed the WR2 spot vacated by Thielen, which ultimately hindered Bryce Young’s development and weakened a Panthers team that ultimately made the playoffs.

Moving up a couple of rounds in the mid- to late-rounds of the NFL Draft wasn’t worth losing a highly productive veteran receiver from a surprise playoff team.

Trade grade: D+

The 2025 key free agents

Since the Panthers signed a host of free agents in 2025, I’m only grading Dan Morgan on the deals he made that exceed $5 million in average annual salary. These are the players the Panthers were expecting to make an impact, and Morgan put his money where his mouth was when signing these four key free agents:

Trevon Moehrig, safety – 3 years, $50 million ($17.1 million/yr), $34.5 million guaranteed. After Moehrig started 16 games and racked up 103 tackles with 14 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks, he became the type of run-support safety the Panthers were hoping for in the secondary.

Tershawn Wharton, defensive tackle – 3 years, $45.1 million ($15 million/yr), $30.3 million guaranteed. Wharton’s first season in Carolina was derailed by injuries and he appeared in just nine games. In those nine games he registered a respectable 36 tackles and 2.0 sacks. While grading the play of interior defensive linemen is subjective, PFF ranked him No. 127 of 134 players at his position.

Patrick Jones, outside linebacker – 2 years, $15 million ($7.5 million/yr), $10.3 million guaranteed. Jones’s season was limited to just four games due to injury. We’ll have to wait until next year to see if this signing pays off, provided he isn’t released.

Bobby Brown, defensive tackle – 3 years, $21 million ($7.0 million/yr), $9.6 million guaranteed. Signing Brown was a solid move, especially given his age (25) and affordable $7.0 million average annual salary. In 2025 he started five of 17 games with 31 tackles, three tackles for loss, and 0.5 sacks. PFF graded him as No. 80 of 144 players at his position, which is just fine given all of the factors above.

Overall free agent grade: C+

2025 NFL Draft Rounds 1-3

All we can do is tip the cap to Dan Morgan for his performance in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft.

Tetairoa McMillan, WR – First round rookie Tetairoa McMillan exceeded 1,000 receiving yards and was named the Pro Football Writers of America’s rookie of the year, offensive rookie of the year, and a member of the all-rookie team. This pick was a home run.

Nic Scourton, OLB – In the second round Morgan moved up a few spots to land outside linebacker Nic Scourton at No. 51. The rookie had a really solid first season by starting eight of 17 games and registering 47 tackles, seven tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks, and 15 pressures. He tied Derrick Brown to lead the team in both sacks and pressures on the season. Scourton is looking like a great pick.

Princely Umanmielen, OLB – In Round 3 the Panthers drafted another outside linebacker in Princely Umanmielen at No. 77. Expectations for third round picks should be tempered, and Princely somewhat exceeded those expectations. He played 16 games as a rotational player, logging 222 snaps. His 24 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and five pressures were a decent enough season for a player drafted where he was.

Round 1-3 grade: A-

2025 NFL Draft Rounds 4-7

When evaluating mid- to late-round picks, it’s important to do so in context of what should reasonably be expected of them. Fourth rounders should be able to provide some limited rotational depth as rookies. Fifth and sixth round picks should make the roster and primarily contribute on special team. Any production for seventh-round rookies is gravy. With that in mind, Dan Morgan did quite well in the back half of the draft.

Travis Etienne, RB – Etienne was selected in the fourth round (No. 114) and while he only had 20 carries on the season, he made a positive impact on the team as the Panthers primary punt and kick returner.

Lathan Ransom, S – Ransom was another fourth rounder (No. 122) and he significantly exceeded expectations. He started six of 16 games and recorded 51 tackles. PFF graded him at No. 67 of 98 safeties, which is a great starting point for the No. 122 pick.

Cam Jackson, DT – Cam Jackson was one of Morgan’s two fifth round picks (No. 140) and he appeared in nine games, logging 85 defensive snaps and 30 on special teams. That’s a bit light for where the defensive tackle was drafted.

Mitchell Evans, TE – Mitchell Evans, on the other hand, had a great rookie season for a fifth round pick (No. 163). Evans seemingly came out of nowhere to push both Tommy Tremble and Ja’Tavion Sanders for snaps. In all, Mitchell played 393 offensive snaps — or 37% of the Panthers total – with 19 receptions for 171 yards and two touchdowns. That’s a fantastic debut season for the No. 163 pick.

Jimmy Horn, Jr. – Finally, Jimmy Horn Jr. rounded out the Panthers draft in the sixth round (No. 208). Horn also outpunched his draft status for a rookie wide receiver with 177 scrimmage yards over 13 games, including 11 receptions on 15 targets (73.3%) for 108 yards and eight carries for 69 more. He looked like he belonged in the NFL, which isn’t always the case for guys drafted after No. 200.

Rounds 4-7 grade: A-

The overall summary

While Dan Morgan might have whiffed on the Adam Thielen trade, it’s not going to set the franchise back in any real way, but neither will it move the team forward. This one trade isn’t nearly as impactful as the free agent and draft decisions he made in 2025, so we’ll mostly let this one slide.

Morgan’s biggest 2025 free agent signings mostly paid off (Moehrig, Brown) or were hard to evaluate due to injury. Tershawn Wharton will need to be both healthy and productive next year, but for now it was a slightly above average 2025 free agent class for the Panthers.

But where Dan Morgan and the Panthers front office excelled this past season was in the draft. Nearly every player either met or exceeded rookie expectations based on where they were drafted. Tet McMillan looks like a star. Nic Scourton looks like a legitimate starter. Umanmielen, Ransom, Evans, and Horn look like solid rotational pieces at worst. Etienne could be Carolina’s lead returner for years to come. What a haul!

When rolling everything together, Dan Morgan had a really solid 2025 as the Carolina Panthers general manager.

2025 final grade: B+
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Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...-dan-morgans-2025-performance-the-final-grade
 
GM Dan Morgan’s 2025 performance: Round 4-7 of the NFL Draft

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The Panthers hired Dan Morgan as president of football operations and general manager on January 22, 2024. Morgan is a Panthers “lifer” after spending his seven-year NFL career in Charlotte from 2001 through 2007 then spending years in the Panthers front office. Let’s take a look back on Morgan’s second season as GM. We’ve previously evaluated his performance with trades and with free agents.

Let’s now assess Morgan’s 2025 draft day performance. Today we will focus on Rounds 4-7 after covering Rounds 1-3 last week.

Draft day performance

It’s a bit of a fool’s errand to evaluate a draft class after just one season because we still don’t know what type of player these guys will be in three or four years, but one season is all the data we have.

When grading draft picks it’s important to measure their performance relative to rookie expectations. My general criteria for rookies is this:

Round 1 – Average contributing starter

Round 2 – Spot starter and key rotational piece

Rounds 3-4 – Capable rotational depth

Rounds 5-6 – Special teams

Round 7 – Any contributions is a borderline miracle

Here we go!

Round 4, No. 114 – Trevor Etienne, running back

2025 Stats: 17 games (0 starts), 20 carries, 90 yards (4.7 YPC); 3 receptions, 13 yards; 20 punt returns (8.2 YPR), 31 kick returns (23.6 YPR)

The former Florida and Georgia star did what few fourth-round rookies do by appearing in all 17 games and making some meaningful contributions for a playoff team. Etienne joined a crowded running back room in Carolina behind two established starters in Chuba Hubbard and Rico Dowdle, both of whom had 1,000-plus yard seasons in 2024. Even then, in limited carries Etienne averaged a healthy 4.7 yards per carry. His main contributions came as the Panthers main punt and kick returner throughout the season, and fulfilling that role fairly well.

Draft grade: B

Round 4, No. 122 – Lathan Ransom, safety

2025 stats: 16 games (6 starts), 51 tackles, 1.0 sacks, 2 passes defended

Lathan Ransom had a quietly productive rookie season, especially for a fourth round pick. I did a double-take when I saw he had 51 tackles this year. He played 336 defensive snaps and 169 more on special teams, so he was on the field a lot. Per Football Reference, he was targeted 18 times in coverage and surrendered 10 receptions, or a 55.6% completion percentage. His tackling was sound with a 3.8% missed tackle rate. PFF graded him out as the No. 67 of 98 safeties in the league, which is more than commendable given his draft pedigree.

Draft grade: A-

Round 5, No. 140 – Cam Jackson, defensive tackle

2025 stats: 9 games (0 starts), 9 tackles

The 6-foot-6, 328-pounder hovered just below the “meets expectations” criteria for a fifth round rookie. He made the 53-man roster and appeared in nine games, playing 85 defensive snaps and 30 on special teams, which is lower than you’d like to see from the No. 140 pick. The highlight from his rookie campaign was the five tackles he racked up in a loss to the Seattle Seahawks late in the season.

Draft grade: D+

Round 5, No. 163 – Mitchell Evans, tight end

2025 stats: 17 games (10 starts), 19 receptions, 171 yards, 2 TDs

The former Notre Dame star was the biggest pleasant surprise from the Panthers crop of rookies. Despite joining a tight end room with established players like Tommy Tremble and Ja’Tavion Sanders, Evans still earned a meaningful role in his first NFL season. He played an impressive 393 offensive snaps, or 37% of the team’s total, meaning he was also blocking when not catching passes. His 19 receptions came on 25 targets, meaning he snagged 76% of his targets. He absolutely blew past what should be reasonably expected from a fifth round pick.

Draft grade: A

Round 6, No. 208 – Jimmy Horn Jr., wide receiver

2025 stats: 13 games, 11 receptions, 108 yards; 8 rushes, 69 yards

Getting 177 scrimmage yards in 13 games from a sixth round pick is sweet, sweet production. The Colorado product also snared 11 of his 15 targets, giving him a superb 73.3% catch percentage. To put Horn’s seemingly modest production in context, per Football Reference a total of 13 wide receivers were drafted between No. 133 in the fourth round and No. 252 in the seventh round. Jimmy Horn Jr.’s 177 scrimmage yards ranked third among that group. It was a promising start for the late-round pick.

Draft grade: A-

Rounds 4-7 summary

Man, relative to expectations, Dan Morgan killed the later rounds of the draft.

The contributions from Etienne, Ransom, Evans, and Horn well exceeded expectations for players selected where they were drafted. Cam Jackson was the only one to underperform, and even then made the roster and got nine games under his belt in his debut NFL season.

Outstanding work by Mr. Morgan and company!

Overall Rounds 4-7 grade: A-
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Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...s-2025-performance-round-4-7-of-the-nfl-draft
 
Best Prospect Names in the 2026 NFL Draft

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Feb 6, 2026; San Francisco, CA, USA; The 2026 NFL Draft logo at the Super Bowl LX Experience at the Moscone Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Every year, the NFL Draft is packed with amazing prospects who have incredible abilities and athletic traits most people could only dream of. Those prospects are often celebrated for their achievements leading up to the Draft, and deservedly so. This post will not celebrate those attributes. Instead, we’ll celebrate something most of these athletes have no control over: their names. Here is a list of some of the prospects with the best names, surnames, and nicknames in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Food and Drink​


Makai Lemon, WR, USC

Dominique Orange, DT, Ohio State

Zakee Wheatley, S, Penn State

Jalen Farmer, OG, Kentucky

Marlin Klein, TE, Michigan

Jager Burton, C, Kentucky

Jam Miller, HB, Alabama

Caden Curry, Edge, Ohio State

Positional Puns​


Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina (a corner named Cisse like in “cease and desist”)

Romello Height, Edge, Texas Tech (“only” 6’3″)

Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama (Germie has some sick moves)

Jake Slaughter, C, Florida (killing the opposing defensive line)

Genesis Smith, S, Arizona State (I’ve been in on Genesis since the beginning)

Isaiah World, OT, Oregon (at 6’8″ and over 300 lbs, that is an appropriate last name)

Kage Casey, OT, Boise State (putting edge rushers in a Kage)

VJ Payne, S, Kansas State (bringing the Payne on defense)

Riley Mahlman, OT, Wisconsin (sounds like “maul man,” which is appropriate for a tackle)

Squirrel White, WR, Florida State (a quick, under 5’10 receiver nicknamed Squirrel)

Scooby Williams, LB, Texas A&M (Scooby will solve the mystery of the other team’s offense)

Diego Pounds, OT, Ole Miss (335 of them, actually)

Jalen Huskey, S, Maryland (if you want a real dog in your secondary)

Damonic Williams, DT, Oklahoma (imagine playing against a big dude like that named Damonic)

Brett Thorson, P, Georgia (puts some thunder into his kicks)

“No, not that one”​


Justin Jefferson, LB, Alabama

Roy Williams, Edge, Northern Illinois

Marcus Allen, CB, North Carolina (in fairness, he is the son of the *that* Marcus Allen)

Marvin Jones Jr, Edge, Oklahoma (also a former Lions wide out)

DeVonta Smith, CB, Notre Dame

Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State

Overall Great Names​


Dontay Corleone, DT, Cincinnati (The Godfather)

Gennings Dunker, OT, Iowa

Nate Boerkircher, TE, Texas A&M

Hezekiah Masses, CB, Cal

Dametrious Crownover, OT, Texas A&M

Ephesians Prysock, CB, Washington

Seydou Traore, TE, Mississippi State

Maverick McIvor, QB, Western Kentucky

Amari Niblack, TE, Texas A&M

Jacobian Guillory II, DT, LSU

Chamon Metayer, TE, Arizona State

Ka’ena Decambra, C, Arizona

Namdi Obiazor, LB, TCU

What do you think Panthers fans? Who has the best name in the 2026 Draft? Did I miss anyone? Sound off in the comments!
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Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...163/best-prospect-names-in-the-2026-nfl-draft
 
Ask Brian: Should the Panthers sign Bradley Chubb?

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Dec 21, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins linebacker Bradley Chubb (2) runs on the field at the start of the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Hello CSR! Welcome to Ask Brian, your weekly Panthers fan mail bag for everyone! We’re starting to get deep into the NFL off-season, and mock drafts are flying wild. We have free agency on the horizon, and right now it’s the best time for many fans as we can speculate on the future of the Panthers. One shoe dropped this week, former Denver Bronco defensive edge, Bradley Chubb was released by the Miami Dolphins. I am wondering what Panthers fans might think of bringing in a guy who played under Ejiro Evero in Denver. The Panthers definitely could use an edge rusher, and Bradley Chubb should be a highly sought after free agent at a premium position.

You all no the drill, comment down below with all your questions, whether they be Panthers related, football related, or even completely off-topic! As always, I’ll highlight my favorite answers and respond to all of your questions later on in the week.
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Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...-brian-should-the-panthers-sign-bradley-chubb
 
Rising Stars: Tetairoa McMillan

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Oct 12, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (4) celebrates a touchdown during the second quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images | Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images

While this series is titled Rising Stars, Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan has a strong argument to remove the word ‘rising’, because he already might be a star. It’s hefty praise to heap onto a rookie, but in the era of the NFL where first year players are thrown into the starting line-up in the league’s most important roles, those who immediately stand out among them are set to become the next generation of stars.

And boy, did McMillan stand out. While setting a franchise record for receiving yards for a rookie wide receiver, he also led the entire 2025 draft class of wide receivers in each of the following categories:

  • Targets
  • Receptions
  • Yards
  • Receiving Touchdowns
  • First downs
  • PFF Grade
Tetairoa McMillan 70 REC, 1014 YDS, 7 TDs NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year 2025-2026 Season.pic.twitter.com/SWPwrnNZHW https://t.co/6AUabjfDZl

— Football Performances (@NFLPerformances) February 10, 2026
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Among all NFL receivers, McMillan was ranked no lower than 25th in the above categories. Marks good enough to earn the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year, an award only won by one other rookie in Panther’s history: Cam Newton.

There are some aspects to McMillan’s game that need refining, however. There’s no questioning McMillan’s production or his overall efficiency – after all, McMillan is one of only 10 receivers in the last 6 years to surpass 1,000 receiving yards in their rookie season. Unfortunately, there was an element of inconsistency that likely cost McMillan, and the Panthers as a whole, a lot of hidden yardage.

According to PFF, McMillan was charged with 7 dropped passes which is tied for 9th most in the NFL. While drops can kill momentum on a drive, the more concerning stat to watch going forward is the number of interceptions allowed when McMillan was the targeted receiver. 6 of McMillan’s targets ended up in a defender’s hands. There was never more than 1 interception per game, but that number was still the 5th most in the NFL and the Panthers lost 5 of those 6 games in which they occurred.

Regardless, McMillan’s unique combination of size, speed and fluidity have made him a threat to line-up at any receiver position on the field and produce like a number one wide receiver in an NFL offense. The sky is the limit for young McMillan, and we’ll continue to watch his career with great interest.
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Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/carolina-panthers-analysis/58167/rising-stars-tetairoa-mcmillan
 
Adding Teeth to the Bite: Panthers Roster Holes in the Offensive Backfield

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CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - SEPTEMBER 29: Andy Dalton #14 of the Carolina Panthers and Bryce Young #9 of the Carolina Panthers interact on the sidelines during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Bank of America Stadium on September 29, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Bengals defeated the Panthers 34-24. (Kara Durrette/Getty Images) | Getty Images

With the Panthers offseason underway and free agency just a few weeks away, let’s take a look at some of the areas on the roster that Dan Morgan and Brandt Tillis have to address this offseason. Instead of looking at the entire roster, we are going to break the list down by position group. For the projected market value, I’ll be using Spotrac’s numbers. If you don’t agree with how much a player might get in free agency, take it up with them, not me. This week’s focus will be on the wide receivers.

2025 Performance​


We’re going to take a look at quarterbacks and running backs in this piece since both positions only have a few guys on the roster. Quarterbacks were a mixed bag, largely due to Bryce Young’s inconsistency. Young ended the season with a 71.0 overall PFF grade, which is solid if unspectacular and a slight dip from his 74.0 in 2024. What really surprised me was Bryce’s league-leading 99.7 PFF grade on throws of 20+ yards. This is likely due to a combination of small sample size and Bryce having Tetairoa McMillan on the outside whom he can trust. Still, Bryce set a career low with just 6.4 intended air yards per attempt (basically aDOT whether it was completed or not), so he wasn’t taking very many deep shots regardless of how well he performed on them. Young also threw for career-highs in completion percentage (63.6), yards (3,011), touchdowns (23) and passer rating (87.8). Backup Andy Dalton only saw the field in five games, including his Week 8 start against the Bills when Young was injured. Dalton struggled in that game and was underwhelming in his other situational snaps.

The running back room was a completely different story. Chuba Hubbard got off to a slow start due to nagging injuries, and Rico Dowdle stepped up big time. Dowdle eclipsed a thousand yards for the season, largely aided by back to back 180+ yard games on the ground. His effectiveness did trend downward as the season went on, probably due to a variety of factors like Chuba’s health improving and the offensive line dealing with injuries. Speaking of Chuba, most of his higher quality games were later in the season, though both backs struggled overall the last few weeks of the season. PFF was not kind to either of the Panthers main backs, grading Hubbard at 69.9 overall and Dowdle at 63.5 overall.

Panthers’ Free Agents (with Spotrac expected market value)​


Rico Dowdle, RB ($6.5M)

Rico has made it pretty clear that he is interested in joining a team that will give him the lion’s share of carries. With Chuba Hubbard being a team centerpiece on the field and in the locker room, and considering the young talented players Jonathon Brooks and Trevor Etienne both returning (hopefully fully healthy) next season, it looks unlikely that the Panthers would be able to guarantee that type of commitment. In true “prove it” deal fashion, Dowdle made himself a ton of money and will move on to another team.

Other Teams’ Free Agents (with Spotrac expected market value)​


Breece Hall, New York Jets ($10.4M)
Kenneth Walker III, Seattle Seahawks ($9.0M)
Tyler Allgeier, Atlanta Falcons ($1.85M)
Miles Sanders, Dallas Cowboys ($1.75M)

Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts ($43.4M)
Zach Wilson, Miami Dolphins ($1.63M)
Trey Lance, Los Angeles Chargers ($1.43M)

The Panthers likely won’t address either position in free agency since they’re only likely to lose Dowdle. The rest of the crew is under contract for next season, so unless they feel the need to move on from Andy Dalton or one of the young running backs, we’ll likely only see a late round flyer on either position if either is addressed at all. Still, there are some intriguing options. Obviously Hall and Walker III are off the table, but a familiar foe in Allgeier or a former friend in Miles Sanders could be some nice depth and insurance for Brooks in the event he isn’t fully healthy.

From a quarterback perspective, I don’t know why anyone would pay Daniel Jones that much money. Still, a still young-ish veteran backup like Zach Wilson or Trey Lance would be cheap options to back up Bryce Young over a longer term than Dalton. A post-June 1st cut of Dalton would save about $2M in cap space, but that’s what the team would be spending on one of these free agent QBs, so the logic just isn’t there. If they want to take a flyer on a guy like Lance as the practice squad/third string QB, fine, but it would not make sense to replace Dalton this season.
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Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...thers-roster-holes-in-the-offensive-backfield
 
Potential cap casualties that could help the Panthers offense

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CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - AUGUST 08: General manager Dan Morgan of the Carolina Panthers looks on prior to the NFL Preseason 2025 game against the Cleveland Browns at Bank of America Stadium on August 08, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Carolina Panthers enter the 2026 offseason with plenty of cap space and pretty easy means to make even more. They have a quarterback on a rookie contract, which is prime time to spend a bunch of money on a supporting cast. Other teams are not so fortunate. There are going to be a lot of tough decisions being made around the league where not-bad players are going to get cut purely for the cap savings. The Panthers can pounce on some of those free agents to bolster their offensive group. Here are a few names to look out for.

Colby Parkinson, TE, Rams​


Sean McVay used his offensive genius guru mind games and did this crazy thing where he adapted his scheme to his personnel in 2025, a foreign concept to many NFL minds. After operating almost exclusively out of three wide receiver sets for many years, he pivoted to a lot of three tight end groupings to capitalize on the team’s depth at the position. But that means the Rams are at a bit of a roster crunch at the position. Tyler Higbee is a free agent, so the team may simply let him walk and keep Parkinson and Terrance Ferguson. But if they bring Higbee back on a cheaper deal and want to chase some big fish in free agency, they can $7 million by releasing Parkinson.

Parkinson would immediately be the best tight end on the Panthers roster and add another reliable intermediate target for Bryce Young. And we’ve already seen him have success in Bank of America Stadium.

Jonnu Smith, TE, Steelers​


Sticking with the tight end position, Smith seems a more likely cut than Parkinson. The Steelers took a shot trading for Smith to create a one-two punch with Pat Freiermeuth. That never really panned out, and Darnell Washington ate into a fair share of snaps as well. The Steelers are currently on the hook for $22 million in cap charges for Freirmeuth and Smith, which is too much for their production, especially when Washington is a fine TE2 and outpaced Smith in production last year.

Smith is just one year removed from a breakout season with the Dolphins where he tallied 884 yards and eight touchdowns on 88 catches. He’s just 30 years old, so it’s not like that talent completely evaporated. Like Parkinson, Jonnu would immediately step in as the Panthers best tight end and bring some real pop to that position.

Darnell Mooney, WR, Falcons​


Fun fact: if nothing changes, Mooney would go into next season carrying the largest cap hit among Falcons wide receivers. He’s due to count over $18 million against the cap, and the Falcons could save nearly $12 million by designating him a post-June 1 cut. Should he hit the market, he’d fit the bill of wide receiver that the Panthers are looking for to complete their room. He’s popped off as a deep threat at points during his career, though he’s been inconsistent. A change of scenery could do him good, and he’d add some variety to a Panthers receiver room that currently features a bunch of tall, long guys.

Tank Dell, WR, Texans​


This would feel kinda mean given that Dell has spent the past year and a half rehabbing from a catastrophic knee injury he suffered during the 2024 season, but the Texans have built up their wide receiver group in his absence. They have Nico Collins and used two draft picks on Iowa State wide receivers that were pretty good as rookies. There might just not be room for Dell, and the cap squeezed Texans can save a couple million by releasing him. If Dell can get back to health, he’d be a great fit as a young, speedy deep threat to complement the big bodies the Panthers currently have manning the position.

Elgton Jenkins, C/G, Packers​


The Panthers are pretty good along the offensive line when healthy, but if there is a question mark, it’s at the center position. Jenkins carries a massive $24 million cap hit this offseason, and the Packers, who are hurting for cap space, could reclaim the vast majority of that if they release him. His play dipped last season, but he has been a Pro Bowler twice. Should he come at a reasonable price, he could be a nice acquisition to compete at center or provide insurance for Damien Lewis and Robert Hunt.
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Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...that-could-help-the-carolina-panthers-offense
 
The Scratching Post: 2/16-2/20

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Greetings, internet users. Welcome to The Scratching Post and the new year.

Feel free to use this thread to chat about (almost) anything you want: video games, food, movies, non-football sports, you name it. As long as it’s allowed by the site’s ToS, it’s fair game here.

You know the drill.

This is now an open thread

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Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/the-scratching-post/58158/the-scratching-post-2-16-2-20
 
Potential cap casualties that could help the Panthers defense

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Oct 5, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers general manager Dan Morgan on the field before the gsme at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

On Thursday, we looked at some players that are candidates for release from their current teams that could be good targets for the Carolina Panthers. Admittedly, the pickings were a little slim on the offensive side of the ball. However, there are some spicier options on the defensive end that are more likely to be released and would be bigger difference makers on the side of the ball where the Panthers probably need more talent. Let’s dig into some names, starting one that’s already been released.

Bradley Chubb, Edge, Dolphins​


The Dolphins got an early start on cleaning their cap sheet by releasing Chubb and Tyreek Hill several weeks before the start of free agency. Chubb is coming off a season in which he tallied 8.5 sacks one year after missing the entire season with a torn ACL. He’s good at both defending the run and getting to the quarterback, which is exactly what the Panthers need. Unfortunately, it’s what just about every team needs, so the Panthers are going to have quite a lot of competition for Chubb’s services should they choose to pursue them.

Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Bears​


The Bears would save $15 million against their cap by releasing Edmunds. They’re over the cap to start the offseason, so they’ll be looking for avenues to save significant room. Edmunds is a good player, and he’s still just 27 (soon to be 28) years old. He’s just not worth the $17 million the Bears would owe him should he stay on the roster. The Panthers basically have no linebackers, so landing an above average player at that position that can stay on the field and force some turnovers would be a huge boost to this defense. He should be high on the priority list should he become available.

Malik Hooker, S, Cowboys​


The Cowboys are way over the cap going into the offseason, so they’re going to have to make a lot of decisions and move a lot of people to get their books in order. That makes Hooker a prime candidate for release. His release would save the Cowboys $6 million with no dead money beyond this season. The Panthers need a safety to pair with Tre’von Moehrig almost as badly as they need a linebacker to play linebacker. Hooker is a more traditional free safety that Panthers fans have been hopelessly yearning for for several years. He’d be a nice complement to Moehrig’s more thumping style and add to an already formidable Panthers secondary.

Jonathan Greenard, Edge, Vikings​


The Vikings have the worst cap situation in the league as it stands right now. They’re going to have to release some guys. Greenard is almost certainly going to be one of them. The Vikings would save nearly $19 million if they designate him a post-June 1 cut. He’s coming off a down season and already has void years on the back end of his contract. It’ll be really, really hard for Minnesota to keep him. Greenard is soon to be 29 and is just one year removed from back to back 12 sack seasons. If he can regain that form after coming off a shoulder injury, he’d be a great get for the Carolina defense.

Drue Tranquill, LB, Chiefs​


The Chiefs are in a weird spot relative to what we’ve come to expect from them. Patrick Mahomes is coming off a torn ACL, and the team is over the cap. It’s a good spot for them to do a little reset. Tranquill will be 31 when next season starts, so while he has become a mainstay in Kansas City, the Chiefs could elect to go younger and cheaper at the position as they rebuild their roster. He wouldn’t be a longterm solution at linebacker, but the Panthers need all the help they can get at the position, even if it’s just for a year or two. Tranquill is still a very good player and would be a great plug and play option at that spot.
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Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...sualties-that-could-help-the-panthers-defense
 
Brian Answers: Sharing responses on Bradley Chubb, salary cap, and more!

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Aug 2, 2025; Charlottle, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen (19) during Fanfest at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Hello CSR! Welcome to Brian Answers, part two of your weekly Panthers fan mailbag for everyone! The questions from fans this week took a bit of a back seat, which is understandable given we are in the dead period between the Super Bowl and Free Agency/the Combine. So, I answered some questions, and highlighted some fan responses with my thoughts to this week’s question. Let’s dive in!

KeepPounding88: How will we fulfill Rev’s wish of getting Arch Manning on the team next year?

It would probably require either the Panthers to completely implode or for Arch Manning to have another disappointing season. At least for the former, the Panthers are probably due for a horrific season after making the playoffs, even if they didn’t have a winning record.

Panthers75: How did the Panthers still end up with Thielens contract on the books for 2026? We traded the player and not the contract? I was under the assumption that the contract went with the player.

I don’t know all the details, but the Panthers aren’t on the hook for his entire contract. They show a dead cap hit of $3.3 million for 2026 per Overthecap. Most likely, that’s a combination of them redoing his deal during the 2025 off-season to bring him back and then trading him (post June 1st, so the cap hits are different). Teams also tend to negotiate the contract during trades, I believe he had taken a pay cut to go back to the Vikings. The Panthers may have been on the hook for some guarantees as a result.

And here were some of your responses to the question of the week; should the Panthers sign Bradley Chubb?

storybook: PFF graded Chubb similarly to DJ Wonnum, but Chubb got 20 more pressures and 5.5 more sacks.

Dcangio09: Should Carolina sign Bradley Chubb? That’s a loaded question. Will it impact them trying to sign guys like Devin Lloyd? If so, then I say no. He’s an absolute upgrade over Wonnum (most guys would be), but Chubb is gonna be 30 years old this season and already not that great. He’d mostly be a 1 maybe 2 year mid stop gap if he could be had cheaply. That being said this draft could have edge as BPA in both the 1st, 2nd and 3rd for Carolina. With how good this draft is at edge in the top 3 rounds, I’m less inclined to wanna spend money on an old declining vet. Take advantage of the drafts strengths. Bring in better and younger free agents at other positions of need.

Vashti2112: Nah. Just gives me George Seifert-era vibes – old ragged-around-the-edges big names. I’d be more interested in seeing what it would take to get Maxx Crosby – probably too much, but he’s been a lot more productive than Chubb. And a lot healthier.

@WTMealey: I’m not mad if the price is right. The goal is to give ourselves more options in the draft. This seems to be a situation where Name>talent at this point so as long as we’re not chasing something that isn’t there. I trust the brains to realize what is a reasonable offer and let it happen or not.

pcroadrage: Id be interested to see what the price for Chubb and Hendrickson end up being. If either can be had for a reasonable price, im all for it. As for the Crosby talk, id like to have him, but the price will be too high. We aren’t a edge rusher away from a SB and cant dump ALL of our resources into that. Id still like to see us sign a TE then hit the draft for BPAs (hopefully a LB somewhere in the first 3 rounds)

Chef: Not interested in Chubb. I’d much rather continue to add pieces through the draft and allow guys to develop. I know our pass-rush numbers were pathetic, but I don’t think it’s as dire a situation as most seem to believe. I feel good about Scourton, Jones, Umanmielen, ect moving forward.

Kinetikat: Should the Panthers sign Bradley Chubb? Depends on the price. I’d take a flier on him on a prove it 1 year contract but the likelihood he’d go for less than $5m on a one year is… super small. So I guess I am functionally a no 🙂

packpowerfan: He isn’t rookie, pre-injury Chubb anymore. But man he’d be juice to the lineup over Wonnum (bar so low it appeared in the Upside Down). Price is a major issue, but I trust this FO to manage the cap well enough to avoid stepping on the dreaded landmine contract. Whether that means signing Chubb or not.

CSR fans appear to be mixed but leaning against signing Bradley Chubb as a whole. While I’d be intrigued to add someone Ejiro Evero had familiarity with, they did trade him away in the final year Evero was in Denver as the defensive coordinator. Most fans do appear to be concerned with price, unfortunately as Bull123 pointed out, many free agent contracts would be considered overpaying for a player. That’s because they’ve hit the open market, and are no longer negotiating with the team that currently employs them. Time will tell what the Panthers do, but they need an edge rusher, on top of several other needs they should address in the Draft. I for one, am not against the signing, but it could be expensive.

Join us next week for another edition of the weekly mailbag!
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Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...esponses-on-bradley-chubb-salary-cap-and-more
 
Carolina Panthers fan discussion: Where in the world are our Cat Scratch Reader readers?

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Nov 27, 2022; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers mascot Sir Purr revs up the home crowd against the Denver Broncos during the second quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

We’re in that slow period between the Super Bowl and the new league year where it sometimes feels like the NFL world has ground to a halt. And that makes it a perfect time to ask: Where in the world are our Cat Scratch Reader readers?

We don’t want or need your address or any personal details — sharing just the state is fine, or city and state if you’d like to be more specific. Same thing if you live abroad – if you’d like to just share the country, that’s cool, and if you want to share more details like the city or region, that’s totally up to you.

Join the conversation!​


Sign up for a user account and get:

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And now it’s your turn to scroll down to the comments and let us know where you are! We’ll update this list as locations are shared.
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Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...n/58224/fan-survey-location-census-discussion
 
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