Carolina Panthers enjoying best offseason in NFC South

According to a longtime football writer, the Panthers are having better-than-average start to their 2025, and better than their other three divisional rivals

Dec 8, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton (88) is stopped by Las Vegas Raiders safety Tre'von Moehrig (7) in the first quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The “legal tampering period” began on March 10, and the NFL’s new fiscal year began two days later. All 32 teams in knee deep in preparation for the 2025 campaign. The draft is less than six weeks away. As usual, there have been aggressive franchises with money at their disposal. There are also other clubs who sit back, wait, and look for bargains. Many of the latter are putting their real energy into April 24-26.

Vinny Iyer of The Sporting News recently graded every NFL team’s offseason so far. Thanks to the very aggressive approach on one side of the ball by Panthers’ general manager Dan Morgan, Iyer handed Carolina a B-plus.

“The Panthers had no choice but to go after defensive volume after a disastrous season there. They got a lot of players who can come together nicely in their scheme. The offensive moves, however, were limited, with a mild upgrade at backup running back.”

Sep 22, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Carolina Panthers general manager Dan Morgan during the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The additions on defense include safety Tre’von Moehrig, outside linebacker Patrick Jones II, defensive tackles Bobby Brown III and Tershawn Wharton, and most recently linebacker Christian Rozeboom. The latter led the Rams with 133 defensive stops this past season. Moehrig was the Raiders’ second-leading tackler with 104 stops.

That grade was good enough to put Dave Canales’s team ninth on Iver’s list, which is the best mark given any of the four teams in the NFC South. Not surprising, the reigning division champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers (B) were just three spots lower at No. 12. However, the Atlanta Falcons (D) were at the very bottom (No. 32), and the New Orleans Saints (C-minus) weren’t much better (No. 28).

There’s obviously a long way to go before the start of the NFL’s 106th season. Morgan has the eighth overall pick at his disposal in the upcoming draft and will continue to add talent to a franchise that hasn’t reached the playoffs since 2017, and hasn’t won the NFC South since the Panthers’ Super Bowl 50 season in 2015. Of course, don’t expect the Buccaneers, winners of four straight divisional titles, Saints, and Falcons to remain content as well.

- Enjoy more free Panthers coverage with Carolina Panthers on SI - 

Carolina Panthers must make obvious move to cap off free agency 

Panthers’ big move at RB confirms worst-case scenario for this player

2025 NFL draft: Panthers predicted to make curveball pick at No. 8

Why one Panthers vet credits Bryce Young for re-signing with team