Panthers’ Early Free Agency Haul Summed Up Perfectly in One Word

The Carolina Panthers have been a lot of things this offseason. There are so many words to describe their first week of free agency. Bold. Risky. Expensive. Hopeful. Those are just a few of the things Panthers fans have likely thought over the last week.

But there's a word that perfectly encapsulates where the team is now as the dust settles on an outrageous first week of free agency. Even with the draft still ahead, the word now is inspiring. The Panthers' offseason can be summed up with that one descriptor.

Why the Panthers' offseason has been inspiring

Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Devin Lloyd (0) enters the stadium before an NFL football game | Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Panthers entered last season's trade deadline with a real shot at making the playoffs. Of course, they would go on to win the division and host a playoff game, so that proved to be an accurate prediction.

But when teams are in position like that at the deadline, they will often buy. They will add a player they need to help ensure they're the favorite in their division or that they'll have a good shot at winning a playoff game.

The Panthers did nothing, though. The report at the time was that they weren't fooled by being ahead of schedule. They were essentially halfway through year two of the rebuild with Dave Canales. Being ahead of schedule was nice, but they didn't force it, and that worked out.

You could've argued that the same mindset this offseason would've been understandable if not smart. They remained ahead of schedule, but should that force them to speed up the timeline?

At the deadline, the answer was no. But now, the answer seems to be yes. They're aware that they have a chance to really take over the NFC South for the next few seasons, so they put the pedal to the metal in free agency.

It's inspiring. Had the Panthers sat back and rested on their laurels, the rest of the NFC South would've caught up to them. The Saints and Falcons both had pretty good free agency weeks. The gap would've been nonexistent, and one could've argued that the Panthers would have been passed over.

Green Bay Packers tackle Rasheed Walker (63) against the Arizona Cardinals | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Instead, they were aggressive but not stupid. They were engaged but not overexposed. They made all the right moves, and as a whole, they spent the money well. There were some overpays, but there were some underpays that more than made up for it.

The Panthers know they're in a good spot, even if they were ahead of schedule. It's inspiring to know that there's a front office in place that understands that and has a good grasp on when to act and when to stand pat.