NFL Draft 2025: Why Panthers GM Dan Morgan wants other teams to fall in love with QBs
Carolina Panthers general manager Dan Morgan has a busy offseason ahead of him.
With a defense in need of a substantial retooling, and an offense still seeking playmakers, the second-year GM is on the hunt for talent. And that’s what brought him and nearly the entire Panthers scouting department to Frisco, Texas, this past weekend.
More than a dozen Carolina evaluators were on hand during the first two practices of the annual East-West Shrine Bowl on Saturday and Sunday. The group interviewed dozens of players and watched practices to get insight ahead of the draft process. Most of that group will also attend the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, later this week.
But at the Shrine Bowl, the talk of the all-star realm is Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders. The talented signal-caller, who is also the son of Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, is considered one of the top two QBs in the draft. And while he is attending Shrine Bowl practices and taking part in interviews with teams, the younger Sanders isn’t throwing at the showcase. Instead, he is taking advantage of valuable face time with the owners of the top three draft picks: the Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns and New York Giants.
And while the Panthers feel good about their quarterback situation — following Bryce Young’s second-half reemergence in 2024 — Morgan hopes the teams picking in front of him fall in love with Sanders, Miami’s Cam Ward or any other quarterback that shines during the draft process.
With the eighth overall pick in April’s draft, the Panthers want talented skill players to fall to them.
“Obviously, with being number eight, you hope that two quarterbacks are in that top eight, so some players drop that you like,” Morgan told The Observer on Sunday. “Hopefully, there’s some more quarterbacks through the process that kind of keep getting elevated. Maybe there’s a team that really likes another quarterback that’s not in the top-two mix. That’s just going to give us a better player at number eight.”
And while Morgan is hoping some notable prospects drop to the Panthers’ designated pick, there’s no guarantee that Carolina will use the No. 8 pick in April. Morgan made quite a few trades in last year’s draft, and he’s open to wheeling and dealing if presented with the right opportunity.
“I think everything’s on the table, like I always say,” Morgan said. “Obviously, depending on who’s on the board at number eight, that’s always going to be option — to trade back.”
The importance of all-star games for Panthers
Last offseason, the Panthers spent six of their seven draft picks on players who attended all-star games. All six players ended up making the team’s roster and contributed during their respective first campaigns in Charlotte.
The team also found undrafted gems like wideout Jalen Coker and safety Demani Richardson at least year’s Shrine Bowl.
So, naturally, Morgan and his crew are looking to find prospects who can continue to make the Panthers better after a 5-12 season.
During meetings with prospects at the Shrine Bowl, they’re trying to determine if the college film matches a player’s desire to play the game.
“Obviously, we’re looking for passionate football players,” Morgan said. “Guys that just love playing the game, and kind of have a little bit of an edge to them, too. So, I think when you’re interviewing these guys, you’re just getting a sense of, ‘Is that passion coming through in what he’s saying? Does the guy have a little bit of an edge with some of the stuff that he’s saying or are you kind of reading through it as a bit of fakeness?’ I think it’s just really getting a feel for the guy and what he’s made of.”
Room for a double-dip on defense
The Panthers need quite a few bodies on defense, especially in the front seven. After a miserable year for the run defense, Morgan is hoping to give the trenches a facelift in free agency and the draft.
While several defenders had their moments in practice at the Shrine Bowl this weekend, the top of draft boards for most analysts feature names like Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham, Penn State pass rusher Abdul Carter and Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker. And with free agency coming before the draft, the Panthers will need to plan ahead and hedge their bets with veteran talent in free agency.
But if the Panthers spend heavily on the front seven in free agency, don’t be surprised if they go back to the well in the early rounds of the draft to reinforce what was a frustrating element of the team last season.
“I’m not opposed to double-dipping — just making our front as strong as possible with the combination of free agency and the draft,” Morgan said. “So, we’re just going to be aggressive to add however that may be.”
Morgan said that while the Panthers are monitoring the pending free agents in the postseason, playoff experience won’t necessarily be the main criteria for the team’s offseason wish list. However, having that winning mindset is appealing for the culture the team is trying to build.
“I think the same thing kind of goes for college,” Morgan said. “Drafting guys from winning programs, who are used to winning — the expectation is, ‘We’re going to win’ — so Ohio State, Georgia, Notre Dame, like those types of schools, obviously, that plays a little bit of a part.”
Quick hits
▪ Morgan said the team is in the middle of making its hires for the coaching staff on defense. Safeties coach Bert Watts and outside linebackers coach Tem Lukabu parted ways with the Panthers following the 2024 season. While Morgan wouldn’t mention any names, those coaching moves are expected to be made before the NFL Combine in late February.
▪ Morgan, who dismissed the team’s two highest-ranking trainers earlier this month, said the strength and conditioning staff hires might take a little longer to figure out. The Panthers’ brass wants to take its time with that job search.
▪ Morgan reiterated what he said earlier this month when asked about the team’s several internal free agents: “I think it’s going to be a case-by-case basis. I think some, obviously, we’ll attack beforehand. Some (free agents) we’ll have to let test the market and kind of let the market dictate what they’re going to be paid. So, we have a number in our head, and maybe the agent of one of our players has another number in their head. So, we may have to let them test the market and maybe they’ll come back to us (or) maybe they won’t. That’s just a risk you have to take.”
