Why Panthers GM Dan Morgan plans to be ‘aggressive’ with roster building in training camp

The Carolina Panthers reported to training camp in Charlotte on Tuesday with 40 new players on their roster. And while those more than three dozen new faces just joined the team this offseason, general manager Dan Morgan isn’t done tinkering with his first roster just yet.

Morgan, who was promoted to the front office’s top job in January, warns that his work isn’t done when it comes to fielding the best team possible this summer.

“I think you should always try to make your roster better,” Morgan said. “So, I think the back end of the roster, I think you’ll see us bring guys in and working guys out — just always trying to continually improve the roster.

“So, yeah, I think we’ll be pretty active with workouts, and you’ll probably see that (activity) on the waiver wire.”

Looking for impact from young pass rushers

The Panthers placed veteran pass rushers D.J. Wonnum (quad) and Amare Barno (knee) on the active/physically unable to perform (PUP) list on Friday. While Wonnum and Barno can return at any point this offseason, both are coming off major surgeries.

Wonnum, in particular, is an important element of the new regime’s plan to replace the production of Pro Bowl outside linebacker Brian Burns, who was traded to the New York Giants in March.

Wonnum sustained a season-ending quad injury last year before he signed with the Panthers in free agency. The Panthers added him, along with Jadeveon Clowney and K’Lavon Chaisson, to provide experienced depth in the pass rushing rotation.

“I feel good about the group,” Morgan said. “We signed some guys in free agency. D.J. is getting back healthy, he’s doing everything he can from a rehab standpoint to get back, he’s working his butt off. So, really proud of him and his progression — where he’s at right now.

“But ... we’re going to look to try to add depth at every position. Like I said before, outside linebacker is no different. We’re just going to try to add as many pieces as we can and create as much competition as we can, and we’ll just kind of handle it that way.”

With Wonnum and Barno sidelined, the team is light on bodies at the position entering the summer workouts, even with Clowney and Chaisson in the fold.

But Morgan, who is actively searching for pass rusher depth through various scheduled workouts, has some faith in the young players who are available at outside linebacker.

“D.J. Johnson — drafted him last year — he’s a big, physical guy,” Morgan said. “Eku Leota is another guy, when he had his opportunities last year, he came in and he played good for us. K’Lavon Chaisson — we signed him to a one-year deal — high draft pick, a guy that we’re excited about that maybe people are sleeping on.

“It’s really up to them to go out there and prove it — just like it is with everyone else on the roster. So, again, I’m excited to see everyone go out there and compete.”

Faith in Dane Jackson

Back in 2020, Morgan was a driving force behind the Buffalo Bills selecting cornerback Dane Jackson in the seventh round of the NFL Draft. Four years later, Morgan — as part of his first string of moves as Panthers GM — signed Jackson to a two-year deal in free agency.

While Jackson had an up-and-down tenure as a heavy contributor in Buffalo, Morgan thought the cornerback fit coordinator Ejiro Evero’s defensive system. Jackson enters the summer as the favorite to land the No. 2 cornerback job as a result.

“(We) signed Dane for a reason,” Morgan said. “Dane is a tough, scrappy, smart player, who fits great in this defense. He’s a really good football player — a really good person in character — so we feel really good about him.

“But, again, we’re going to try to create competition at every position and we’re going to be aggressive, too. We’re going to be smart, but we’re going to be aggressive and we’re going to bring competition in here.”

(No) expectations?

Morgan’s predecessor and close friend, Scott Fitterer, proclaimed last summer that the Panthers’ goal was to win the NFC South, and thus make the playoffs. The team ended up going 2-15, finished in last place in the entire league in 2023, and Fitterer was fired in January as a result.

On Tuesday, Morgan was asked if he felt like he had built a playoff roster. Morgan, who was around for last year’s debacle, took a measured approach when discussing his feelings toward the current depth chart and its trajectory.

“I’m not going to put any expectations on anything right now,” Morgan said. “What I do know is that there is a lot of work ahead of us — not only from a personnel standpoint but the players.

“The players know that they’ve got to put in the work out there — we’ve got a lot of new players that have got to gel out there and become a team — so, in terms of playoffs, we’ll reach that when we’re ready. But I think right now, we’re focused on today, tomorrow, and just trying to get better as a team and an organization.”

Quick hits

▪ Morgan was asked about the kicking competition between veteran kicker Eddy Piñeiro and undrafted rookie Harrison Mevis. Morgan said the competition was legitimate as the team enters training camp.

▪ Morgan said he was fine with NFL’s “Hard Knocks” on HBO airing out some of his conversations with Giants GM Joe Schoen about the Burns trade. However, the GM noted that he and Schoen are close friends and had several conversations about the blockbuster trade that were not aired on the show, implying some missed messaging in those negotiations. The Panthers traded Burns for a package of draft picks centered around the 39th overall selection in this year’s draft, which was ultimately traded by Carolina in April.

▪ Morgan said there is no timeline for the returns of Wonnum and running back Jonathon Brooks (knee). Brooks, who sustained an ACL injury in November, was placed on the non-football injury list on Friday. Like Wonnum, Brooks — the team’s second-round pick — can come off the injury list at any time this summer.

▪ Local media was given a tour of the Panthers’ improved practice facility, which includes a new $200,000 cooling trailer, which is meant to improve player performance by regulating body temperature throughout practice. During the tour, veteran tight end Jordan Matthews was first player to walk onto the field for his conditioning drill. Matthews arrived several minutes before any of his teammates joined him on the grass field.

▪ The Panthers’ first training camp practice will begin at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday. The practice is sold out for fan attendance, according to the team. Follow The Observer’s Panthers reporters, Mike Kaye (@mike_e_kaye) and Alex Zietlow (@alexzietlow05), and sports columnist, Scott Fowler (@scott_fowler), on “X”, formerly known as Twitter, for the latest news and highlights.

▪ The Charlotte Observer will host a special night with Panthers legend Mike Rucker on Monday, Aug. 5, at OMB Ballantyne (15025 Bowl Street Charlotte, NC 28277). Join Fowler, Kaye, Zietlow and Rucker as they take a look at the past, present and future of the Carolina franchise. Tickets are currently $5 for Charlotte Observer subscribers.

Proceeds from the event will go toward the Best Defense Foundation, a charity founded by former NFL linebacker Donnie Edwards in 2018. OMB Ballantyne also will make a donation to the foundation based on customers rounding up their check totals during the month of August.