Panthers ranked among top-5 most-improved NFL teams since free agency started

Carolina has been extremely active in free agency thus far and improvement index shows it's working.

Sep 29, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers general manager Dan Morgan before the game at Bank of America Stadium. / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Whether the moves actually pay off or not remains to be seen, but the Carolina Panthers have at least done a solid job of recognizing their weaknesses and addressing them. Since the NFL's legal tampering period kicked off free agency a little over 24 hours ago, the Panthers have been about as active as any team around the league.

Heading into the offseason, Carolina had to fill big holes at all three levels of their defense. For the most part, they've already accomplished that. If they can manage to add a depth linebacker and another starting safety on a mid-level deal, the work will be complete - at least on this side of the ball.

According to the Improvement Index, the Panthers seem to have pushed the right buttons. Thanks to their two additions to the interior defensive line, another on the edge, a big investment at safety and retaining their top two cornerbacks, Carolina ranks among the top-five most improved teams since free agency opened. Only the Raiders, Bears and Patriots rank higher.

via Unexpected Points

Thus far the star of this group is veteran safety Tre'Von Moehrig, who was ranked one of the top free agent safeties in this class along with Jevon Holland, who's still a free agent and has been connected with the Panthers.

Moehrig's three-year, $51 million deal is the most-expensive of any of the outside free agents Carolina has come to terms with as of yet. If the Panthers can find another solid starter to pair with him and replace Xavier Woods and Jordan Fuller, they may turn what was one of their weakest position groups into one of their best.

The real benefits are for the front-seven, where they've added three more pieces for what would have likely cost to sign Milton Williams all by himself. Assuming they're not all useless, the Panthers should be much improved against the run, which was their biggest issue last season.

There's still work to do, but this is a pretty suberb start to the offseason by the Panthers front office.

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