Carolina Panthers general manager Dan Morgan made two early splashes in free agency two weeks ago by reeling in edge rusher Jaelan Phillips and linebacker Devin Lloyd, two positions he was very vocal about addressing after the season ended.

Along with those two splashes, the Panthers addressed other key needs such as left tackle, center, quarterback, and re-signing many of their own. The work Morgan put in gives the team plenty of flexibility going into the draft, but don’t rule out the Panthers double-dipping at positions that were already addressed in free agency.

“I think there’ll definitely be a linebacker there we like, there’ll be an edge that we probably like there too (at 19),” Morgan said. “So we’ve just really got to weigh that with free agency and just kind of see how it goes in free agency. I think you always adjust your plan based off what you did in free agency, but that’s not to say that we wouldn’t double dip at a certain position, whether edge or linebacker or both.”

Linebacker is a position that comes to mind that can still be seen as a slight need for the Panthers, even after signing Lloyd. Morgan mentioned earlier in the offseason that the Panthers needed to make multiple efforts to overhaul that room and so far only made one addition.

“In terms of free agency in the draft, I think that’s a position that we’ll try to attack,” Morgan said. “We’re looking for guys that are leaders, that are playmakers, and that are culture fits for us.”

Llyod was a great starting point to give the Panthers a franchise leader that can start next to Trevin Wallace. What the team needs now is a high-level LB3, and one potential option just decided to join a division rival instead of a potential return.

Christian Rozeboom signs with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency

On Monday, it was reported that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers reached an agreement on a one-year deal with veteran linebacker Christian Rozeboom. Rozeboom signed a one-year deal with the Panthers last offseason and went on to start 15 games, totaling 122 tackles and 2.0 sacks.

Once Rozeboom hit the market, a return seemed unlikely unless the team’s leading tackler was willing to return as the team’s LB3. Rozeboom was originally signed with that role in mind until Josey Jewell’s release last July opened the door for Rozeboom to earn a starting position. He made the right choice on the open market to get a chance to be a starter, even if it means joining a division rival.

As for the Panthers, Rozeboom’s exit adds even more incentive to draft one of the top linebackers in the 2026 NFL Draft. Behind Lloyd and Wallace, the team’s linebacker room consists of Claudin Cherelus, Isaiah Simmons, Bam Martin-Scott, Jacoby Windmon, Mapalo Mwansa, and Jared Bartlett. Adding another top talent to that room can really round out the position.

2026 NFL Draft linebacker prospects for the Panthers to consider selecting

Morgan already hinted at finding an option with the 19th overall pick in the first-round with Sonny Styles and CJ Allen being the top options, although it’s wishful thinking to consider Styles a legit possibility at 19 at this point. Allen is certainly a player to consider and would be Morgan’s type of guy after being the leading voice for the Bulldog’s defense.

“I think I have a super power to make guys around me better on and off the field,” Allen said at the NFL Combine. “Me playing in the middle elevates guys around me, and same thing off the field.”

In the second-round, there’s a solid crop of talent for the Panthers to consider in players such as Jacob Rodriguez, Anthony Hill Jr., Josiah Trotter, and Jake Golday. Rodriguez, the 2025 Butkus Award and Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner, is the most exciting option and one the Panthers have spent plenty of time getting to know already.

“I met with the Panthers at the Senior Bowl, I met with them here. It’s been great,” Rodriguez said at the NFL Combine. “I’d be excited to be in Charlotte. I went [there] for the Nagurski and I thought it was a beautiful place. I would love to see myself there as well. I think everything they do from top down, I think just a great organization that is trending very well.”

The options are plenty in the first two-rounds for Morgan to find another top-tier linebacker to add to the defense and continue bringing the position back to its former glory.

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