Cat Scratch Reader
The Carolina Panthers have been stuck in a rudderless rebuild for years. After some strong front office moves in 2024, the team’s new GM just might be moving the team forward.
Over the past several weeks we’ve been assessing Dan Morgan’s performance in his first year on the job as general manager of the Carolina Panthers. We’ve reviewed his trades, scrutinized his free agent additions, and evaluated his 2024 draft performance, including his draft day trades and early selections along with players selected in Rounds 3-7.
It’s now time to roll everything up and give Dan Morgan a final grade for his rookie year. Here’s the summary of what’s most important in evaluating Morgan’s 2024 performance.
Trades
On the whole, the Panthers did very well in the five trades Dan Morgan engineered in 2024.
While the Brian Burns trade seems underwhelming on the surface - the Panthers only got a 2024 second-round pick (No. 39), a 2024 fifth-round pick swap (from No. 166 to No. 141), and a 2025 fifth-round pick - context matters. When Morgan was hired, it was already a foregone conclusion that Burns wasn’t coming back to Carolina.
Ultimately, there just weren’t trade partners who were both willing to both surrender a first round pick for Burns and give him a monster extension. In the end, Morgan got what he could in terms of draft assets while avoiding a five-year, $141 million commitment for a player who is clearly very good, but may never be great.
While the Burns trade generated headlines there were two other below-the-radar trades that generated significant value for the Panthers.
First, Morgan turned straw into gold by trading 2024 seventh-round pick Michael Barrett to the Seattle Seahawks for veteran cornerback Michael Jackson. Seattle ultimately waived Barrett. Jackson, meanwhile, started all 17 games for the Panthers, was ranked the No. 45 corner in the league by PFF, and will likely be the Panthers most important player to re-sign in 2025.
Next, Morgan absolutely fleeced the Dallas Cowboys by trading away struggling wide receiver Jonathan Mingo and a seventh-round pick in return for a fourth-round pick. Bravo, Mr. Morgan. Bravo!
Trade Grade: B+
Free Agents
During his first season on the job, Dan Morgan signed six players to contracts whose annual average salary exceeded $5 million per year.
Guards Damien Lewis (4-years, $53 million) and Robert Hunt (5-years, $100 million) were absolute home run signings. They both had strong 2024 campaigns, are in their primes, and will solidify Carolina’s interior offensive line for years to come.
On the defensive side of the ball, linebacker Josey Jewell (3-years, $18.8 million), defensive end A’Shawn Robinson (3-years, $22.5 million), outside linebacker D.J. Wonnum (2-years, $12.5 million), and edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney (2-years, $20 million) started all 50 games in which they appeared and on the whole their impact exceeded their cap hits.
Five of these six players should be back in 2025 - and it could be all six assuming Clowney’s deal is restructured - meaning there...
