Panthers' offseason plans should be blatantly obvious

The Carolina Panthers' plans for the NFL offseason should be very obvious to anyone following the team.

Oct 6, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) looks to throw against the Chicago Bears during the fourth quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images | Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images

The Carolina Panthers are preparing to enter a critical NFL offseason that may very well determine the direction of their franchise for the next five years.

One thing that became clear during the second half of 2024 is the Panthers apparently didn't make a colossal mistake drafting Bryce Young No. 1 overall the year prior, as he showed significant promise in the latter stages of the season.

But the reality of the situation is that Carolina went 5-12 and has missed the playoffs seven years in a row. It had the worst defense in NFL history this past season. It isn't a marquee destination for star players, and to make matters worse, the Panthers have very limited cap room.

Ergo, barring an out-of-nowhere trade for someone like Garrett Wilson, Carolina probably won't be making any gigantic splashes in the coming months.

And you know what? That's okay.

This is a process, and the Panthers have been so bad for so long that waiting an extra year for them to be serious playoff contenders won't be such a big deal.

The next several months will be about Carolina making incremental improvements. It probably won't be landing Tee Higgins. It won't be acquiring Myles Garrett.

The key is for the Panthers to make shrewd, under-the-radar signings and maybe a trade or two for talented players on their rookie deals in order to ensure that they stay under the salary cap.

Carolina can absolutely still move in a positive direction by embracing that strategy.

The Panthers don't have to swing for the fences. They can do things like sign Elijah Moore or Tutu Atwell for some help at wide receiver. Maybe they try and sign edge rusher Dayo Odeyingbo. Perhaps they will attempt to pull off a trade a young cornerback to pair with Jaycee Horn.

Little moves like that are how you properly build a winner. Just look at the Washington Commanders, who were languishing for far longer than Carolina before making it to their first NFC Championship Game since January 1992, when the Panthers were four seasons away from even existing as an NFL franchise.

There is definitely hope for Carolina, but it's not going to come in the form of the Panthers spending big bucks on the open market.

The sooner Carolina fans can accept that reality, the better off they'll be, and the more optimistic they will be about 2025 and beyond.

Nov 3, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales hugs quarterback Bryce Young (9) after getting the win against the New Orleans Saints at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

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