So how does that approach translate to today?
For one thing, keep an eye on the age of your free agent targets. Paying guys in their 30s is not for everyone. When they signed Hunt, he was 27. Lewis was 26, same as Wharton and Jones. Moehrig was 25 and Brown was still just 24.
But in addition to staying young or getting younger, there are clearly positions of need.
Morgan mentioned at the combine that he wanted to “attack” the linebacker position, where the Panthers have historically had defining leaders. From Hall of Famers Sam Mills to Luke Kuechly with guys like Jon Beason and Morgan himself in between, the Panthers have been known for a tradition of outstanding linebacker play.
So adding to the group that includes Trevin Wallace and upcoming undrafted rookie Bam Martin-Scott is a likely path in the coming days and weeks.
“In terms of free agency in the draft, I think that’s a position that we’ll try to attack,” Morgan said. “We’re looking for guys that, that are, that are leaders, that are playmakers, and that are culture fits for us.
“So we’re excited about attacking that and putting the work in.”
The Panthers could also use a boost in their pass-rush, though that’s true of practically every team in the league.
They had 30.0 sacks last season, which was tied for 28th in the league. Rookie Nic Scourton and Derrick Brown led the team with 5.0 sacks each, so adding to that area would make sense.
“I don’t think you can have too many really good pass-rushers,” Morgan said. “So, you know, the combination of free agency, the combination of draft, there’s some good players in both that we’re excited about. So we’ll see how it shakes out. We’re obviously evaluating them. We’re putting the work in, and we’ll see what happens.
“I don’t have a crystal ball and, you know, you never know who you’re going to sign, or who may want to come here.”