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https://x.com/panthersanalyst/status/1876702483432583336?s=46&t=xeIgh_-Vr2aKxBkBJdfnKA

Pick 8 Carolina Panthers Walter Nolen Mississippi · DT · Junior Speaking of Quinnen Williams ... Nolen earned that comp this season from Ole Miss defensive coordinator Pete Golding, who coached the three-time Pro Bowler at Alabama. Nolen's explosiveness off the ball and ability to chase down plays make him a potential top-10 selection like Williams, and pairing him with Derrick Brown means trouble for opposing offensive lines.

According to a recent projection from salary-cap guru Spotrac, the defensive back could get somewhere in the region of $7.71 million per year on a three-year, $23.15 million deal. Would you do this deal?

Round 1 (No. 8 overall): Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona The Panthers have Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker as young talents at receiver, but neither appears to have true WR1 upside. Adam Thielen should finally be on his last legs in 2025. Drafting Tetairoa McMillan would give Young a legit dominant boundary talent. McMillan pairs elite size and ball skills with short-area quickness. Round 2 (No. 57 overall): Kyle Kennard, EDGE, South Carolina Carolina's defense recorded a third-worst 32 sacks throughout 2024. Signing Jadaveon Clowney didn't work out. The Panthers desperately need pass-rushing talent on the edges. Kyle Kennard is explosive and pairs first-step quickness with a red-hot motor. Round 3 (No. 74 overall): Mello Dotson, CB, Kansas Ejiro Evero’s defense allowed nearly 225 passing yards per game. The cornerback room currently possesses more quantity than quality. Morgan needs to add some instant contributors. Kansas' Mello Dotson projects as such. Dotson was outstanding at the East-West Shrine Bowl, showcasing a competitive streak at the catch point. Round 4 (No. 110 overall): Jordan Phillips, DT, Maryland An interior defensive lineman capable of playing next to Derrick Brown is required. The Panthers grossly missed Brown throughout 2024. Jordan Phillips would be a nice fit inside. Phillips is fresh off a dominant week in Frisco. Round 4 (No. 113 overall): Caleb Ransaw, SAF, Tulane Safety Xavier Woods played 100% of Carolina's defensive snaps this past campaign. He's scheduled to reach free agency, and a replacement may be needed. Tulane's Caleb Ransaw had an outstanding week at the Senior Bowl. Ransaw is versatile enough to play in coverage near the line of scrimmage, or in two-high shells. Round 5 (No. 141 overall): Brashard Smith, RB, SMU Jonathon Brooks suffered another ACL injury shortly after recovering from his first one. The Panthers unfortunately can't rely on him in 2025. Instead, they should take advantage of a deep running back class to add another talented player at the position. Brashard Smith was productive in Mobile. A former wideout, Smith is a dual-threat talent with incredibly high upside. Round 5 (No. 147 overall): Terrance Ferguson, TE, Oregon The Panthers should also take advantage of a deep tight end class to add more talent to the position. Ja’Tavion Sanders is a quality piece, but Tommy Tremble is slated for free agency. Terrance Ferguson possesses some pass-catching upside, and he's also alignment-versatile enough to play in-line. Round 5 (No. 164 overall): Carson Vinson, OT, Alabama A&M The offensive line has finally improved, but several starters or role players are on expiring contracts, including Cade Mays, Brady Christensen, and Austin Corbett. Some of these will probably be retained, but Morgan will draft at least one offensive lineman. Carson Vinson has some tackle-guard flexibility. Vinson is a developmental talent with future starter potential. Round 7 (No. 229 overall): Warren Brinson, NT, Georgia Evero employs the occasional nose tackle in 3-4 fronts. Shy Tuttle primarily played that role this past season. Adding depth and competition through Warren Brinson would be wise. Brinson possesses length, power, and functional athleticism.

Carolina Panthers · OLB Jadeveon Clowney ($7.8M) · OLB D.J. Wonnum ($6.2M) · RB Miles Sanders ($5.3M) · DL A’Shawn Robinson ($5.5M) · OT Yosh Nijman ($3.7M) · CB Dane Jackson ($3.4M) · DT Shy Tuttle ($3.3M) · WR Adam Thielen ($3M) The Panthers don’t have nearly the amount of cap space you’d expect for a team lacking as much talent as they do. They don’t even have a high-priced quarterback deal gobbling up space, with former No. 1 pick Bryce Young making about $8.5 million a year on his deal. Carolina’s been active the past two years in free agency to try and fill out the roster and the bulk of their space is dedicated to those deals. The team has had to guarantee money into the second year of a lot of contracts to lure players, and fortunately for GM Dan Morgan, his hit rate is looking better than his predecessor. Clowney and Wonnum were both signed as Carolina rebuilt its edge rusher room nearly from scratch following the trade of DE Brian Burns to the Giants. Both players have been solid when they have been on the field, which took a while for Wonnum due to complications from a torn quad that ended his 2023 season. I don’t see the Panthers wanting to take a step back here even if they’ll almost certainly add to the room, and neither Clowney nor Wonnum are making salaries out of line with the market. Thielen has continued to be productive despite pushing into his mid-30s, so his chances of coming back look a lot better than they did a few months ago. Still, he’s due $6.75 million in 2025, and his status might depend on whether the Panthers are able to add more punch to their receiving corps. Second-round WR Xavier Legette and UDFA WR Jalen Coker have had intriguing rookie seasons but if Carolina took just that trio into 2025, it’d be uninspiring. Thielen’s salary is harder to justify if he’s fourth on the depth chart. A $1.5 million roster bonus is due March 17, which will push the Panthers to make a quick decision. He could also retire. Sanders might have been cut this past offseason had his salary not already been guaranteed, so even with the uncertainty in the team’s backfield behind incumbent RB Chuba Hubbard, it’s hard to see Sanders back. Nijman was signed as insurance at tackle, but wasn’t healthy enough to play when LT Ikem Ekwonu missed some time. Carolina wants to be strong up front but they’re paying Nijman a premium for a swing tackle right now. The status of Robinson and Tuttle could depend on how much DC Ejiro Evero changes things up. He’ll remain in Carolina despite a horrendous season and both players were signed the past two years because they fit his scheme. Yet in that span, the Panthers have had the worst rush defense in football. Robinson is probably safer than Tuttle. Jackson was benched after missing significant time with a hamstring injury. He has $1 million already guaranteed in 2025 but that might not be enough to save him from being cut.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports the Jaguars have requested an interview with Panthers pass game coordinator Jonathan Cooley for their DC opening. Fowler mentions that Cooley worked with new Jaguars HC Liam Coen with the Rams in 2020 and 2022

https://x.com/justblande/status/1879738719756013715?s=46&t=xeIgh_-Vr2aKxBkBJdfnKA

Best of the offense 1. WR Adam Thielen: 82.1 2. QB Bryce Young: 80.3 3. WR David Moore: 66.0 4. C Cade Mays: 65.1 5. WR Jalen Coker: 63.6 Young—who, according to NFL’s Next Gen Stats, faced the highest pressure rate in any game this season (68.6 percent)—completed 15 of his 28 throws for 203 yards and two touchdowns.Those two scores found the hands of Thielen, who went for a game-high 110 receiving yards on five catches

https://www.panthers.com/news/amare-barno-activated-from-physically-unable-to-perform-list