Carolina Panthers Get High Marks in NFC South With B+ for 2025 Offseason Moves
NFL analyst Vinny Iyer puts the Carolina Panthers in ninth place overall for their 2025 offseason moves, ranking them above all NFC South rivals. Iyer told si.com, “The Panthers had no choice but to go after defensive volume after a disastrous season there. They have 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.”
Teams kicked off their legal discussions on March 10, with free agency starting March 12. In a major defensive overhaul, Carolina brought in safety Tre’von Moehrig with a $51 million three-year contract. The move looks to patch up their struggling run defense from 2024.
Making a splash in free agency, they made Jaycee Horn the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL. His new four-year contract is worth over $100 million, including $70 million in guaranteed money.
Dan Morgan beefed up the pass rush by getting Pat Jones II for $20 million over two years. Jones will team up with Jadeveon Clowney and D.J. Wonnum in the rebuilt defense.
The Panthers addressed a key need by landing Bobby Brown III for $21 million over three years. They also added Christian Rozeboom at linebacker, a playmaker who racked up 133 tackles with the Rams last season.
On offense, they kept things together. Center Austin Corbett stayed put on a one-year deal. His line helped cut Bryce Young’s sacks dramatically, dropping from 62 to 29 between years.
Tommy Tremble got $10.5 million over two years to help guide rookie Ja’Tavion Sanders. The team now looks ahead to the April 24-26 draft, where they hold the eighth pick.
In their division, Tampa Bay ranks 12th, while New Orleans dropped to 28th. Atlanta landed at the bottom at 32nd. Carolina hasn’t made the playoffs since 2017.
NFL.com raised concerns about Carolina’s spending spree. Some question whether they overpaid for players like Moehrig and Tershawn Wharton. Their last division title came during their 2015 Super Bowl run.
