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ex-Chiefs stud says the Panthers are definitely building in the right direction

The Panthers won four of their last nine games in 2024, led by their improving quarterback. One of the club’s new additions likes what he sees with this team.
Russell Baxter|
Jul 24, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton (92) plays around as he waits to be interviewed during training camp. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images
Jul 24, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton (92) plays around as he waits to be interviewed during training camp. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

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Carolina Panthers

General manager Dan Morgan has his work cut out for him this offseason, despite the fact that the Carolina Panthers ended 2024 on a positive note. Dave Canales’s team won four of its final nine outings, including two its final three games. Quarterback Bryce Young showed positive signs after a miserable start to his career.

Still, Morgan needed to address all aspects of the roster, most notable curing what ailed one of the league’s worst defenses in recent memory. He primarily used free agency to fill the holes on this side of the ball, and added some key pieces via the draft as well. One of the big pickups on the defensive line owns a pair of Super Bowl title rings courtesy of the Kansas City Chiefs.

New Panthers’ DT Tershawn Wharton knows something about team building

Defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton spent five seasons with Andy Reid’s team, all of those campaigns resulting in playoff appearances. He joined Carolina this offseason and likes what he sees from a club looking to end a seven-year playoff drought.

Via free agency and the draft, Morgan added three defensive tackles (Wharton, Bobby Brown III, and rookie Cam Jackson) and three edge-rushers (Patrick Jones II, and rookies Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen) to a defensive unit that was dead last in the league vs. the run, and managed a mere 32 sacks.

Despite this past season’s respectable finish, there’s still plenty to be done. All of the new faces on both sides of the ball must gel. Young must get to know new wide receivers such as Tetairoa McMillan and Jimmy Horn Jr. and veteran Hunter Renfrow. Of course, that is what training camp is for. Still, optimism continues to be high for Canales’s team.

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Russell Baxter
RUSSELL BAXTER

Russell S. Baxter has been writing and researching the game of football for more than 40 years, and on numerous platforms. That includes television, as he spent more than two decades at ESPN, and was part of shows that garnered five Emmy Awards. He also spent the 2015 NFL season with Thursday Night Football on CBS/NFLN.