March 20, 2026, 2:16 p.m. ET
Charlotte, N.C. may be becoming a destination spot for the NFL’s top free agents.
Carolina Panthers president of football operations and general manager Dan Morgan chatted with reporters about his team’s recent (and very notable) activity on Friday afternoon. In closing up his presser, Morgan was asked how he and the front office felt about reeling in some of the open market’s biggest fish.
“Yeah, there’s definitely anxious moments,” he said of trying to seal deals. “But we felt good about what we’re building here and attracting players here. We felt like players wanted to be here as opposed to when I first took over—it was maybe a little harder. So you definitely feel that shift.”
That shift included the offseason’s most lucrative signing in outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips, who was nabbed on a four-year, $120 million pact. Carolina also landed another premier defender in Pro Bowl inside linebacker Devin Lloyd, the recipient of a three-year, $42 million agreement.
They’ve also added Rasheed Walker, perhaps the top left tackle of the free-agent pool, as well as quarterback Kenny Pickett, running back AJ Dillon, wide receiver John Metchie and offensive linemen Luke Fortner and Stone Forsythe.
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Morgan then elaborated on why he believes the Panthers are on the rise in the eyes of outside players.
“Once you get the deals done and you talk to the guys, you can just feel their excitement about being here,” he added. “They all felt like our team was an up-and-coming team that was trending in the right direction. They all heard really good things about Coach [Dave] Canales and the staff and the culture around here.”
This past campaign saw the Panthers, even at 8-9, clinch their first playoff berth since 2017 and their first NFC South title since 2015. Prior to 2025, Carolina had failed to surpass the seven-win mark in each of the previous seven seasons.
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