Tag: dan morgan

Dan Morgan describes ‘Panther fit,’ what he wants in a draft prospect

GM Dan Morgan said the draft isn’t just about getting playmakers for Bryce Young, it’s about getting playmaker for the Panthers.

Dave Canales began his first pre-draft press conference as head coach of the Carolina Panthers by throwing out the term “Panther fit.” So, what exactly does that mean?

President of football operations/general manager Dan Morgan, who also took questions alongside Canales on Thursday afternoon, gave his description of what’ll surely become a buzz term around these parts.

“I think when me and Dave were talking about the type of player that we want—those passionate, hungry, the dawg mentality, passion for the game, love of the game. That’s kinda what we’re looking for,” he said. “Measurable-wise, obviously, we want guys with height, length, speed, all those type of traits. But, at the same time, if they don’t have that dawg mentality, they don’t have that passion for the game—they’re not gonna be able to reach their full potential. So we really gotta filter those guys out and be thorough with everything we do.”

Speaking of buzz terms, this isn’t the first time Morgan has expressed his desire for that “dawg mentality.” In fact, it was probably the most notable takeaway from his introductory press conference back in February.

He was then asked if the main focus of next week’s draft will be on securing playmakers for quarterback Bryce Young.

“I think it’s about just not getting playmakers for Bryce, it’s about getting playmakers for our team,” he replied. “For our organization—who’s best gonna fit our team? Who’s gonna make plays? Who’s gonna take the ball away on the defensive side of the ball? Who’s gonna put the ball in the end zone on the offensive side of the ball?”

Carolina’s dreadful offense was, of course, the most prevalent story for the team in 2023. And that’ll happen when your No. 1 overall pick throws for only 11 touchdowns and your unit finishes last in the league in both yards and points.

But the Panthers defense also left a bit on the table. Despite allowing the fourth-fewest yards per contest, the group recorded the fewest sacks and the fewest takeaways this past season.

So if you’re a playmaking dawg in this year’s class, then get familiar with the Charlotte area code.

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Dan Morgan, Dave Canales hint at what players Panthers will look for in draft

The Panthers will be drafting for “Panther fit,” not so much for need.

The Carolina Panthers will be drafting more for fit than for need.

On Thursday, president of football operations/general manager Dan Morgan and head coach Dave Canales spoke to reporters ahead of their first draft as the organization’s new power duo. Morgan led off the presser by hinting at what he and Canales will be looking for in a week’s time.

“I think me and Dave are obviously really excited about the direction we’re headed—as an organization, as a team,” he said. “The communication and the alignment that myself, Coach Canales, the scouts, the coaches, the training staff, sports science—it’s just been awesome. It’s been a lot of fun. So we’re really excited about the future.

“I feel we addressed a lot of needs in free agency. And I think that will set us up nicely during the draft to allow us to draft the best player available and just take really good football players that fit what we want from a schematic standpoint, from a culture standpoint and all those things we talked about in our presser.”

After Morgan’s opening statement, Canales would echo the same sentiment.

“One of the coolest things that I saw is as we worked through free agency, coming out of the other side of it with this great feeling like, ‘Alright, hey, this takes some pressure off of, gosh, we gotta meet all these needs through the draft,'” he stated. “Now we get to really just hone in and focus on the guys that are really Panther fit. I’ve heard that a lot in our building just as we’ve been talking about guys.”

Carolina began free agency by addressing their most troubling deficiency—the interior protection of second-year quarterback Bryce Young. The team signed guards Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis to a combined $153 million in fortifying the front for their franchise guy.

They also added to the edge with outside linebackers Jadeveon Clowney, D.J. Wonnum and K’Lavon Chaisson, signed a new middle linebacker in Josey Jewell, gave defensive tackle Derrick Brown and cornerback Jaycee Horn some partners in A’Shawn Robinson and Dane Jackson and acquired Pro Bowl wideout Diontae Johnson in a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

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Panthers CB Dane Jackson talks about Dan Morgan’s influence on his career

Panthers CB Dane Jackson thanked GM Dan Morgan for the influence he’s had on his NFL career.

Dan Morgan pounded the table for Dane Jackson well before he took over atop the Carolina Panthers’ front office. And apparently, he still is.

The 27-year-old cornerback, who signed on with the Panthers last month, spoke with reporters on Wednesday. He was asked about Morgan, who played a major part in getting Jackson into the NFL.

“He’s been a great influence in my career,” he said. “I would like to thank him for a lot, just for giving me a chance. He was a big advocate, coming out for me when he was in Buffalo and just getting me on the team and believing and trusting in me. And same thing when I got here—during the process, when him and my agent were talking back and forth, it was just how much he believed in me. So I gotta tip my hat off to him and give him a lot of thanks for that.”

Morgan, now the president of football operations and general manager for Carolina, had previously served as the director of player personnel for the Buffalo Bills from 2018 to 2020. During the draft in that final season, Morgan pushed for the Bills to select Jackson—who was ultimately taken in the seventh round.

But Jackson wasn’t exactly sure why Morgan and the Bills took him at the time. He was asked if there were any pre-draft hints of the organization looking his way.

“I don’t recall any conversation,” he replied. “I didn’t really talk to Buffalo during the draft process, so I honestly had no idea I was gonna go there. But once I got there, that’s when I learned how much he was advocating for me and how much he believed in me.”

As we head into this year’s draft, Jackson is currently projected as the team’s second starter at the cornerback position.

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Is Dane Jackson the favorite to be Panthers’ CB2 in 2024?

The Athletic’s Joe Person believes the Panthers will give free-agent signee Dane Jackson a chance to win the CB2 job this season.

When it comes to who will start opposite of Jaycee Horn in the Carolina Panthers secondary this season, the answer may already be on the roster.

All things considered, president of football operations and general manager Dan Morgan set his Panthers up quite nicely during the transition from free agency to the 2024 draft. The front office filled a handful of pressing needs—signing guards Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis, trading for former Pro Bowl wideout Diontae Johnson and convincing pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney to come home—in allowing them to pick the best players available later this month.

But what about the cornerback position? Not only did Carolina ship off a longtime starter in Donte Jackson, but they also added just one player to the mix—Dane Jackson.

But according to Joe Person of The Athletic, Jackson may be all the Panthers need to fill the CB2 spot. In his latest seven-round mock draft, Person notes that the team will give the free-agent signee “a chance to win” the starting spot.

That may not be a shock considering Morgan’s history with Jackson, whom he “pounded the table for” a few years back. While serving as the director of player personnel for the Buffalo Bills, Morgan pushed for the selection of the Pittsburgh corner in the seventh round of the 2020 draft.

Since then, Jackson has recorded 28 starts over his 52 NFL outings.

Other than Jackson, the current depth chart has a handful of more inexperienced options for the outside. Discounting Troy Hill—who will man the nickel—the Panthers could look to D’Shawn Jamison, Dicaprio Bootle and Lamar Jackson.

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Contract details of Derrick Brown’s 4-year extension with Panthers

Let’s go inside the numbers of Derrick Brown’s big four-year extension with the Panthers.

Thanks in part to their president and executive vice president of football operations, the Carolina Panthers have given Derrick Brown another term.

As announced on Friday afternoon, the team agreed to a four-year extension with their star lineman. So, what are the details of the deal?

First off, as initially reported by ESPN senior NFL insider Adam Schefter, the pact is worth a total of $96 million with $63.165 million guaranteed. The total is tied for the fourth-highest value amongst all defensive tackles, moving Brown next to New York Jets anchor Quinnen Williams.

That number over four years gives the contract an average annual worth of $24 million, which is also tied with Williams’ deal as the fourth-highest at the position. The very top is headlined by Kansas City’s Chris Jones ($31.75 million) with Las Vegas’ Christian Wilkins ($27.5 million) and Baltimore’s Justin Madubuike ($24.5 million) following up.

Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated would also add that Brown will receive $49 million over the first two seasons of the agreement and $72 million over the first three.

Great job, Dan and Brandt!

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Panthers projected offensive depth chart heading into April

How is the Panthers offense looking as we enter April? Here’s our projected depth chart for the unit as it currently stands:

The offensive overhaul for the Carolina Panthers began on January 25, when they officially named Dave Canales as their new head coach. So, what does the unit look like now?

Since then, Canales and president of football operations/general manager Dan Morgan have taken their shared vision into free agency. And as a result, they’ve given the offense a bit of a facelift.

So, as we prepare for April and the 2024 NFL draft, here’s our projected depth chart for the group:

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
QB Bryce Young Andy Dalton
RB Chuba Hubbard Miles Sanders Raheem Blackshear Mike Boone Spencer Brown Tarik Cohen
WR Diontae Johnson David Moore Jalen Camp
WR Jonathan Mingo Terrace Marshall Jr. Michael Strachan Cam Sims
SWR Adam Thielen Ihmir Smith-Marsette
TE Tommy Tremble Ian Thomas Stephen Sullivan Jordan Matthews Chris Pierce
LT Ikem Ekwonu Yosh Nijman Ricky Lee
LG Damien Lewis Brady Christensen Cade Mays
C Austin Corbett
RG Robert Hunt Chandler Zavala Nash Jensen J.D. DiRenzo
RT Taylor Moton Ilm Manning Badara Traore

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Panthers GM Dan Morgan provides update on potential Derrick Brown extension

Panthers GM Dan Morgan expressed some optimism about a potential contract extension for DT Derrick Brown.

Maybe the Carolina Panthers have themselves a standout defender who they can actually keep.

On Monday, the team’s president of football operations and general manager Dan Morgan talked with reporters on a Zoom call from the NFL’s Annual League Meeting. When asked about defensive tackle Derrick Brown, who is entering the fifth-year option on his rookie deal, he expressed some optimism about a potential contract extension.

“I’m not going to put any timetable on it; we have had some good discussions with his agent,” Morgan said, via Darin Gantt of Panthers.com. “But as of right now, we’re working through that, and hopefully, it ends up working out at the end, which I think it will.”

Brown is coming off the first Pro Bowl season of his NFL career. In fact, it was no ordinary all-star campaign—as the 25-year-old broke the all-time single-season record for tackles by a defensive lineman.

A few of Brown’s fellow interior linemen got their big paydays this offseason—including Kansas City’s Chris Jones, Las Vegas’ Christian Wilkins and Baltimore’s Justin Madubuike. Jones set the market at a $158 million pact, with Wilkins at $110 million and Madubuike at $98 million.

So, is Brown next?

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Panthers ‘keeping in touch’ with free-agent OLB Jadeveon Clowney

Don’t count the Panthers out of the Jadeveon Clowney sweepstakes.

The New York Jets aren’t the only team planning to remain active in the Jadeveon Clowney sweepstakes.

On Monday, Carolina Panthers president of football operations and general manager Dan Morgan spoke with reporters on a Zoom call from the NFL’s Annual League Meeting in Orlando, Fla. And with his team still needing to add some pass-rushing prowess to their defense, he said they’re still in on the three-time Pro Bowler.

Clowney, a Rock Hill, S.C. native, visited with the Panthers back on March 14. Following his stop in Carolina, the former No. 1 overall pick then went to see the Jets—who he, per Bleacher Report NFL insider Jordan Schultz, has “remained in constant contact” with since.

The 31-year-old is fresh off one of the most productive campaigns in his pro tenure. Clowney recorded 9.5 sacks, his most since 2017, and a career-high 71 pressures for the Baltimore Ravens, who are also reportedly interested in his services for 2024.

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Panthers have not made a decision on Jaycee Horn’s 5th-year option

Panthers GM Dan Morgan said the team has not come to a decision on CB Jaycee Horn’s fifth-year option.

Apparently, the 2025 season is no sure thing for Carolina Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn.

The team’s president of football operations and general manager Dan Morgan spoke with reporters via a Zoom call from the NFL’s Annual League Meeting on Monday. When asked if the team will exercise the fifth-year option on Horn, he did not provide a definitive answer.

Carolina selected Horn with the eighth overall pick of the 2021 NFL draft. While he’s proven that his talent and effectiveness is absolutely undeniable, his availability is a completely different story.

The 24-year-old defender has dealt with injury after injury as a pro—from breaking his foot three games into his rookie campaign, to breaking his wrist near the end of 2022 and to sustaining a hamstring strain in the 2023 regular-season opener.

As a result, Horn has played in just 22 of a possible 51 games since entering the league.

The Panthers have until May 2 to either exercise or decline Horn’s fifth-year option. The option would cost the team approximately $12.4 million for the 2025 season.

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GM Dan Morgan explains why Panthers traded Brian Burns

Panthers GM Dan Morgan gave a little insight into why he pulled the trigger on the Brian Burns trade.

Dan Morgan wasn’t handed an easy job when he was named the new president of football operations and general manager of the Carolina Panthers. In fact, he just had to make one of the most difficult decisions this franchise has faced in quite some time.

Two weeks ago, Morgan and the Panthers traded away star pass rusher Brian Burns to the New York Giants. The move effectively put an end to the year-long stalemate in contract talks and awarded the two-time Pro Bowler the massive big-money deal he was looking for.

On Thursday, through a Zoom call from the NFL’s Annual League Meeting, Morgan explained why the team pulled the trigger on what he described as a “tough decision.”

“You know, those are always difficult conversations and, and decisions that you have to make from the seat that I’m in,” he said, via Darin Gantt of Panthers.com. “We love Brian. The player he is, the person he is, but sometimes you’ve got to make tough decisions, and the salary cap along with draft capital that we got, we felt like it was, you know, time to pull the trigger and make a move.

“We felt like the timing was right. And yeah, those are always tough decisions, but we had to make it, and we feel OK about it.”

In return for Burns, the Panthers received the 39th overall pick of the upcoming draft, a pick swap of the 141st and 166th selections and a 2025 fifth-rounder.

The trade also opened up approximately $24 million in salary cap space for Carolina, who had placed the franchise tag on Burns the week prior to the swap.

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