Carolina Panthers: Ranking roster needs after flurry of Day 1 moves in free agency

Carolina went all out to whip the worst defense of all time into shape.

Jan 5, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) reacts with wide receiver David Moore (83) after running for a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons during the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

It was not difficult to figure out the strategy of Carolina Panthers general manager Dan Morgan when the legal tampering period opened yesterday. Coming off a season when Carolina's defense allowed more points than any team in NFL history, it made sense to throw their best punches at trying to fix that unit.

That's exactly what they did. At first it seemed like they'd snagged the top interior defensive line free agent in Milton Williams - but he wound up getting $26 million a year from the New England Patriots, which probably spared this team what could have been a huge cap blunder.

Instead, the Panthers brought in two new defensive tackles for the price of one, agreeing to terms with Bobby Brown and and Tershawn Wharton. They also added an edge rusher in Pat Jones II from the Minnesota Vikings, re-signed their two best cornerbacks (including a record-setting deal for Jaycee Horn) and landed a significant uprade at safety in Tre'von Moehrig.

That's a lot of boxes checked off. So, let's see where the roster stands after all those moves. Here's how we rank their greatest needs.

1. Wide receiver

It's not that the Panthers wide receiver group is terrible, it's just that it needs to get much better if they're going to take advantage of Bryce Young's growth spurt. At the moment Adam Thielen is effectively the 1A and 1B receivers on this team, and he's also the only one who can consistently catch passes that aren't thrown perfectly into his bread basket. Xavier Legette and David Moore were frustrating in this department and Jalen Coker didn't get enough targets to make up for it. Two of the best wide receivers on the market are gone (Chris Godwin, Darius Slayton) but there are still a few decent options out there, including Amari Cooper and Stefon Diggs.

2. Another safety

While Tre'von Moehrig gives Carolina a badly-needed boost at one of their weakest position groups, the work should not be done, here. Remember the Panthers have to replace two starters at this spot, as both Jordan Fuller and Xavier Woods are now free agents and best left allowed to walk. Morgan could plan on drafting a safety to fill this hole, but there are still a lot of interesting options on the market. That list includes Jevon Holland, Justin Reid, Justin Simmons, Juan Thornhill and Rayshawn Jenkins.

3. Tight end

While Ja'Tavion Sanders did show a lot of promise as a rookie (at least more than any Carolia tight end since Greg Olsen), he could also stand to improve his receiving game. Tommy Tremble is returning but this remains one of the weakest tight end units in the league - especially as it pertains to pass-catching weapons. Good news: Evan Engram is still on the market, as is Juwan Johnson, who we have identified as their top two potential targets at this spot. The Panthers should be looking to sign a proven tight end now and also take advantage of a deep TE draft class.

4. Edge

Carolina did address this spot yesterday by signing Patrick Jones II, but they still need another piece here to complement Jones and Jadeveon Clowney and DJ Wonnum. Yesterday a bunch of great edge rushers agreed to terms, including Khalil Mack, Harold Landry and Haason Reddick. There are some quality options still on the board, though. Joey Bosa, Matt Judon and Demarcus Lawrence are the best of them, but guys like Azaeez Ojulari and Za'Darius Smith might be just a bit less expensive.

5. Linebacker

The Panthers will probably start Josey Jewell and Trevin Wallace at linebacker this year now that Shaq Thompson is out of the picture. That means a third linebacker who they can trust to play relief snaps should be on the menu, as well. Unfortunately, this was a pretty thin class of inside linebackers and all the real upgrades have already been spoken for. All that remain are iffy gambles like Tyrel Dodson and De'Vondre Campbell. Perhaps they should wait to address this on Day 3 of the draft.

6. Running back

It's a little absurd that this is a need, but Jonathon Brooks' second ACL tear will put him out for the entire year. That opens up a spot beneath stud starter Chuba Hubbard. Also, assuming they are not silly enough to keep Miles Sanders under his current contract they're going to need another, as well. Fallen superstar Nick Chubb is the biggest name on the board, here. Other intriguing options include Raheem Mostert, Gus Edwards and Kareem Hunt. Signing a veteran is the way to go here, as they shouldn't spend any more draft capital at this position for a while.

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