## Dan Morgan Is Not Messing Around The Carolina Panthers went 8-9 in 2025, won the NFC South, and lost to the Los Angeles Rams 34-31 in the Wild Card round. It was the franchise's first playoff appearance since 2017 and Bryce Young's first playoff start — 21-for-40, 264 yards, a passing touchdown, a rushing touchdown, and enough flashes to convince the front office that this roster is worth investing in. General manager Dan Morgan responded with the most aggressive free agency period the Panthers have had in years. The message: this team is not rebuilding. This team is reloading. Here is every move, updated as signings happen. --- ## Major Signings ### Jaelan Phillips, Edge — 4 years, $120 million ($80M guaranteed) The headliner. Phillips ranked ninth in the NFL in quarterback pressures in 2025 with 73, and Morgan made it clear that pass rush was priority number one. "The quarterback pressure we generated last year was not acceptable," Morgan said. Phillips is an immediate upgrade who changes the math for every offensive coordinator in the NFC South. **What it means for Charlotte:** This is the kind of signing that signals a front office believes it has a championship window. $80 million guaranteed to an edge rusher says Dan Morgan thinks Bryce Young is the guy. ### Devin Lloyd, Linebacker — 3 years, $45 million Lloyd fills the other defensive hole — an inside linebacker who can drop into coverage and stop the run. The former first-round pick (No. 27 overall, 2022) recorded five interceptions in 2025 and nine total over four seasons in Jacksonville. Lloyd brings sideline-to-sideline speed and instincts that the Panthers' linebacker corps has been missing. **What it means for Charlotte:** Phillips and Lloyd together represent $165 million in defensive investment. The Panthers are building a defense that can carry this team while Bryce Young continues to develop. ### Rasheed Walker, Offensive Tackle — 1 year, up to $10 million Walker started at left tackle for the Green Bay Packers for three seasons — 48 starts in 52 games. He provides proven pass protection on an offensive line dealing with Ikem Ekwonu's ruptured patella tendon. Walker is not just insurance. He may be a necessity. ### Kenny Pickett, Quarterback — 1 year, $7.5 million ($4M guaranteed) The former Pittsburgh Steelers first-round pick comes to Charlotte with a 32-17 career record as a starter. Pickett provides legitimate insurance behind Bryce Young — he's started NFL games, he knows how to run an offense, and he's motivated to rebuild his value on a prove-it deal. ### Luke Fortner, Center — 1 year, up to $4.75 million Fortner fills the hole left by Cade Mays' departure to Detroit. The former Jaguars and Saints center allowed only three sacks in 2025 and is a strong pass-blocking specialist. Morgan moved quickly on this — Fortner was signed during the negotiating window on March 9, the same day as Phillips and Lloyd. **What it means:** The center position is no longer the crisis it looked like when Mays left. Fortner is a competent starter who buys the Panthers time to draft a long-term solution without forcing a reach pick. ### John Metchie III, Wide Receiver — 1 year Metchie reunites with Bryce Young. The two played together at Alabama in 2021. A low-cost signing that adds a receiver who already has chemistry with the starting quarterback — the kind of move that costs nothing if it doesn't work and could matter if it does. ### AJ Dillon, Running Back — 1 year With Rico Dowdle gone to Pittsburgh, Chuba Hubbard moves into the lead role and Dillon provides the between-the-tackles complement. The physical, downhill runner from Green Bay and Philadelphia brings a different dimension than Hubbard's speed-based game. ### Stone Forsythe, Offensive Tackle — 1 year Twenty-seven starts in five seasons between Seattle and Las Vegas. Forsythe provides offensive line depth behind Walker — critical insurance given the Ekwonu injury timeline. --- ## Re-Signings and Extensions | Player | Position | Deal | Date | |---|---|---|---| | JJ Jansen | LS | 1-year (18th season) | Feb 17 | | Trevis Gipson | OLB | Re-signed | March 15 | | James Mitchell | TE | Re-signed | March 15 | | Akayleb Evans | CB/ST | 1-year | March 12 | | Robert Rochell | CB | 1-year | March 11 | | Nick Scott | S | 1-year | March 14 | | LaBryan Ray | DE | Re-signed | March 11 | | David Moore | WR | Re-signed | March 11 | | Isaiah Simmons | S | Re-signed | March 11 | | Thomas Incoom | OLB/ST | Re-signed | March 11 | | Claudin Cherelus | LB | Re-signed | March 13 | | Jalen Coker | WR | Tender (ERFA) | March 4 | | Brycen Tremayne | WR | Tender (ERFA) | March 4 | | Sam Martin | P | 2-year | March 16 | | Feleipe Franks | TE/ST | Signed | March 18 | | Nick Hampton | OLB | Signed | March 19 | The volume here tells its own story. Morgan retained the defensive secondary (Evans, Rochell, Scott, Simmons), kept the special teams core intact (Jansen, Martin, Incoom, Franks), and added edge depth (Gipson, Hampton). Sixteen re-signings and depth additions — this is a GM who knows the bottom of the roster matters. --- ## Departures ### Cade Mays, Center — to Detroit Lions (3 years, $25M / $14M guaranteed) The biggest loss. Mays was the anchor of the offensive line. Morgan responded by signing Luke Fortner within days. ### Rico Dowdle, Running Back — to Pittsburgh Steelers Dowdle had back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons in Carolina. His departure stings, but the Panthers decided to invest their money in defense rather than pay top dollar for a running back. Chuba Hubbard and AJ Dillon are the new tandem. ### A'Shawn Robinson, Defensive Line — Released (signed with Tampa Bay) The Panthers released Robinson and saved $10.5 million in cap space. That money went directly toward the Phillips and Lloyd signings. Robinson landed with the Buccaneers. ### Yosh Nijman, Offensive Tackle — Retired (March 13) Nijman announced his retirement, removing a potential offensive line option and reinforcing the importance of the Walker and Forsythe signings. --- ## What's Left to Do **The Draft (April 24-26):** The Panthers' most pressing needs have shifted since free agency opened. Center is addressed short-term with Fortner, but a long-term replacement for Mays remains a draft target. Offensive line depth, a developmental wide receiver, and defensive line rotation pieces are on the board. The Ekwonu injury timeline will determine how aggressively Morgan targets tackles. **The 19th overall pick:** With Phillips and Lloyd in place, Morgan has the luxury of drafting best available rather than reaching for a need. That's a different draft than the one Carolina was facing in January. **Remaining cap space:** After the Phillips and Lloyd signings, the Panthers are working with limited but manageable cap room. Don't expect another splash — the remaining moves will be veteran minimums and practice squad depth. **Bryce Young's extension:** The elephant in the room. Young finished 2025 with 3,011 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions — his best season. The Panthers picked up his fifth-year option and are reportedly discussing a long-term extension. The timeline on that conversation will shape the Panthers' cap strategy for years. --- ## The Big Picture The 2025 Panthers won a division with a losing record. That's not a championship team — and Dan Morgan knows it. But it is a team with a young quarterback who just made his first playoff start, a defense that's about to add $165 million in talent, and a front office willing to be aggressive. The Phillips and Lloyd signings aren't about 2026 alone. They're about building a defense that can compete for an NFC South title for the next four years while Bryce Young grows into the franchise quarterback the Panthers drafted him to be. Charlotte hasn't hosted an NFC Championship Game since January 2016. Morgan is building a roster that could change that. And he's not the only one building something — (https://cltmercury.com/charlotte-hornets-2026-play-in-tracker). Charlotte sports haven't felt like this in years. --- ## Update Log **March 22** — Comprehensive update. Added Luke Fortner signing (C, 1yr/$4.75M — fills Cade Mays hole), John Metchie III (WR, reunites with Bryce Young), plus 10 previously unlogged re-signings and depth additions. Added Yosh Nijman retirement and A'Shawn Robinson's landing spot (Tampa Bay). Added Ikem Ekwonu injury context for OT signings. Rewrote "What's Left to Do" — center no longer the top draft need. Added Devin Lloyd's 2025 interception stats. Total tracked moves: 6 major signings, 16 re-signings/depth, 4 departures. **March 20** — Initial tracker published. Major signings: Jaelan Phillips (4yr/$120M), Devin Lloyd (3yr/$45M), Rasheed Walker, Kenny Pickett, AJ Dillon. Key departures: Cade Mays, Rico Dowdle, A'Shawn Robinson. *This tracker is updated as new signings, trades, and roster moves are announced. Bookmark it.* --- *The Charlotte Mercury covers all five Charlotte professional sports teams — with no paywall. (/sports).*

Related: The Panthers' $165 Million Bet on Defense — Is It Enough?

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