Panthers’ offense just got hit with an eye-opening statistic and it perfectly explains two offseason additions Dan Morgan made
The Carolina Panthers’ concerning trend in short-yardage and goal-line situations can easily be addressed by keeping two new offseason additions on the 53-man roster and having a plan in place to use them.
The Carolina Panthers still have some strides to make offensively despite the success the team showed throughout the 2025-26 season. We still have to remember that this was a 8-9 team that had a pretty inconsistent offense.
Everything the Panthers have done this offseason on the offensive side of the ball has been to fix those inconsistencies by maximizing what works and improving upon what didn’t. Sounds simple enough, but it’s the truth.
Quarterback Bryce Young, for example, was one of the top deep ball passers in the league last season but head coach Dave Canales didn’t showcase that enough. So, the Panthers added a new field stretcher in rookie WR Chris Brazzell II. As for improving what didn’t work, look no further than Carolina’s short-yardage rushing success, or lack thereof.
Carolina Panthers were among the league’s worst short-yardage rushing offenses
Ian Hartitz, a popular football figure on X, shared an eye-opening stat that revealed a concerning trend for the Panthers (although it’s not one fans missed). The Panthers ranked 31st in the NFL in rushing attempts inside the five-yard-line with just nine on the whole season.
Part of that was due to the team’s inability to get inside the five-yard-line on a consistent basis (whether due to stalled drives or 5+ yard touchdowns). The other part of it is due to the team’s lack of desire to run in such situations, which lead to plays like this one below.
Looking at further stats, the Panthers only six rushing touchdowns from inside the five-yard-line, which was tied for 23rd in the NFL. Even in non-goal-line situations of short-yardage (four or fewer yards to go), the Panthers only had 100 rushing attempts (ranked 23rd in the NFL as well).
Two of the new additions could help the Panthers be more successful in those areas and more confident in running the ball.
Additions of RB AJ Dillon and QB Haynes King can shift the Panthers’ short-yardage approach
Part of the reason the Panthers shied away from running in short-yardage and goal-line situations is because the Panthers are against using quarterback Bryce Young on QB sneaks due to his frame and also due to the revolving door up-front.
Improved health on the offensive line can help to some extent as can the return of running back Jonathon Brooks. However, the two additions that can really help are veteran running back AJ Dillon and UDFA quarterback Haynes King, two players who can use their strengths as short-yardage runners as arguments to make the 53-man roster.
During his last full healthy season in 2022 with the Green Bay Packers, Dillon had 48 carries with four or fewer yards to go, turning those carries into 31 first downs and four touchdowns. He’s a powerful back and offers a trait the Panthers have really been lacking in the backfield for a long time and now he’s back to his full health.
As for King, the rookie is more than a passer. At Georgia Tech, King was a real weapon in short-yardage situations rushing for 37 career touchdowns and 172 first downs. If he makes it onto the roster, the Panthers could easily install some short-yardage, Taysom Hill-like, packages for this guy.
If the Panthers are serious about fixing that issue, Canales would be wise to find a way to keep Dillon and King on the 53-man roster.