Bringing you all the answers to fan questions in part two of this week’s Offseason mailbag!
Hello CSR! Welcome to Brian Answers, part two of your weekly Panthers fan mailbag for everyone! This week, the questions were all off-season, and we had plenty of them! To recap, this piece is the place where I go to answer all your questions from earlier in the week, where you commented on “Brian Asks” with all your burning thoughts. Without further Ado, let’s dive in!
KeepPounding88: What injured player will trade up for in the 2nd round this year?
Ur mom.
TLGPanthersFan: I have seen people say last weeks win was something we can carry over to next year. With the off-season being 8 month, and one of the longest in professional sports, I never really thought anything can be carried from season to season. Teams are so different every season.
Do you believe in stuff from previous seasons carrying to the next?
It depends on the situation. The last time the Panthers had wins that could “carry over to the next season”, they hired a new head coach/coaching staff, traded away a key players in DJ Moore, and drafted Bryce Young while allowing all the previous QBs from 2022 to leave in free agency. So much had changed that the Panthers were barely even the same team come 2023. So in that instance, no the wins did not carry much of value over.
End of 2024 going into 2025, early indications show that things won’t be shaken up quite that much. The win was by far Bryce Young’s greatest performance as a pro and cemented his status as the starter in 2025, Dave Canales and his coordinators are returning, and this off-season will be more about building around Bryce and the pieces they’ve assembled on offense, while improving the defense. The Panthers are not in the middle of a changing of the guard, they are going into year 2 of the Dave Canales/Dan Morgan regime. I think this win actually will carry some significance into next season, whether it be as a ripple effect in their Offseason strategy, or getting the buy in from the players that move forward with the team in 2025.
Diesel009: What is the biggest need (in your opinion) currently for this team heading into the offseason?
Defensive Line as a whole, but if I had to pick specifically I’d say edge rusher. The Panthers need more than one, as the band-aid approach to the position absolutely did not work in 2024. Even if they don’t get one at number 8 in the draft, I would think they should get out of the draft with at least two prospects and I would hope they add another in free agency, even if they keep Clowney and Wonnum. Close second and third would be interior DL and LB. I’m not sure what position they will invest heavily in (or have the opportunity to, anyway), but they all need attention badly. Safety also needs attention, however there’s always a market to pull from in free agency at that position.
Jman2021: How much of an investment into the defense either through F/A or the draft would constitute an adequate infusion of talent to put the onus on Evero to have this defense truly perform?
I would say add 3 starter level players along the front seven and 2 in the secondary at minimum. You may be able to count Derrick Brown as one of those returning starters. I don’t care what position those guys play specifically, the Panthers need more upper tier players everywhere.
MarloBarksdale99: The Processor seems like a really squeaky clean kid. What would you say his vice’s are?
I think that he has already visited half of the strip clubs in NC, and is one with the debauchery. All while being a polite patron. Still fools us with the good kid image. LOL.
I imagine his Pokemon card collection is on the high end side. I could also see him being a card counter at the casino.
Revshawn: Hey Brian. It’s 2025 and its a New Years Resolution time! Everyone is making their own plans about what they’re going to differently this year to improve their own wellbeing and quality of life. To make themselves a little better than the last year!
My own plan is to get back in shape and I’ve been working out! In pursuit of this, I’ve been watching my eating habits more closely! Can you take me through your own typical day of what you eat on a day to day basis! Or to be more precise, can you take me through a day in the Life of Brian?
And also, what is your own New Years resolution and other CSR staff?
I’ll say this, my eating habits can be much improved. One thing I’ve done is I typically eat lightly to start my day, eat a bigger lunch, and then eat light for dinner. Need to get more veggies in there but I’ve reduced the fast food. But what was always a struggle for me was actually eating consistently, so I always try to make sure I have SOMETHING to eat.
New Years Resolution is very basic, but I haven’t gotten back to the gym on a full time scheduled regimine since COVID. So that’s my big one for 2025. And generally being more optimistic about the future. The rest of the CSR staff can sound off in the comments if they’d like.
schrodingersblackcat: Who is your favorite UFL team? Can you make a convincing argument for why they should be my favorite too?
Houston Roughnecks. #NECKNATION!
@WTMealey: In a dream scenario where we can poach one weapon for Bryce
Brock Bowers or Jamar Chase?
I love me some Brock Bowers, but its gotta be Jamarr Chase without question if we’re talking about it without regards to contracts.
PantherBlueBlood: Would you cut Sanders or restructure adding another year & reducing the hit? Or cut him and resign him? Or cut him altogether?
By all player accounts, Miles Sanders has been a wonderful locker room presence. But I think unless he’s settling for veteran minimum money, there’s really no reason to retain him at the current price tag. Plus, he could catch on with a team like the Eagles (again) next season and play competitive football as a rotational piece. I feel for Miles, but I just don’t see it here in 2025.
Bull123: Morgan hit HRs with the two OGs he signed in FA LY…He did it as soon as FA opened up
What impact position group is out there with the most potential for us to sign thru FA before the draft do you think he is looking at?
I think they can lock up two good safeties in free agency without destroying the bank. There’s always several starters out there in free agency and he could take a swing on someone coming off a rookie contract. You could make an argument for WR as well, but that’s going to be considerably more expensive based on the market for top contracts right now.
TXPanther: Does the Tyler Lockett retirement make you feel as old? It felt like yesterday when he was young and a sneaky later pick in fantasy. How is he 32?
Yes, it does make me feel old. It also makes me a little sad. Lockett was always pretty underrated as a receiver, dude put in a solid 9 year career in the NFL. Good on him to get out relatively healthy with plenty of accomplishments.
packpowerfan: Where do we go *on defense* with the 8th pick? Defensive line or secondary? I’m all for rough BPA, but obviously we aren’t taking a luxury pick there (QB, OL, WR) because there is either depth or investment.
After we decide the position group to attack, which player is coming to Charlotte, and why should it be Malaki Starks?
My early feeling is its going to be the secondary if they stand pat and don’t trade up/down. And I wouldn’t be upset at all if they go corner or safety there, because they need both. Starks would be my pick, but there’s plenty of safeties in the mid round area that could help this team as well.
dayneB12: The Panthers will obviously need to address the safety position with Demani RIchardson being the only rostered player at the position heading into the offseason. Who are some potential safety targets for the Panthers?
We’ll dive further in depth into this as we get closer to free agency and the draft. But early targets I like are Justin Reid, Jevon Holland, Trevon Moehrig, and K’Von Wallace.
SmoothC85: How long of a lease will Evero have next season? How much of a defense improvement is need to be seen, before the retainment of Evero is seen as a mistake? Becuse going from historicaly bad to 29th in the league is not going to be good enough.
I don’t see a reason not to keep him the entire season. He’s on the last year of a 3 year deal, so firing him ahead of the end of the season would only serve the purpose of seeing what someone else can do on his staff. Seeing as how he’s mostly brought in people he has familiarity with, I would think if we’re looking at moving on from Evero in 2026, that Canales would go find someone of his own accord instead of retain leftovers from Evero’s staff. But there’s always a chance they have a rising up and comer at the position coach slot.
Hythloday: If Tetairoa McMillan is there at pick 8, and we haven’t signed and/or lost out on a #1WR in FA, do you think they will value him less because of recent defensive talent neglect (I guess in this scenario there’s also a defensive stud or two available as well)?
Feel free to adjust your answer to any adjacent questions that implies.
I don’t think it’ll be as much about valuing him less as seeing BPA strategy marrying a need on defense, because there’s just so many of them. That said, I wouldn’t be upset if Carolina pulled the trigger on McMillan. I’m sure that answer will change once we’ve seen how the team attacks free agency on defense.
TXPanther: MVP – Allen, Lamar, or other?
Should Bryce be considered for Comeback PotY? Does Darnold deserve the award without having had an injury last season?
I’d go with Lamar Jackson, but there’s a case for Allen there.
Absolutely he should, especially if we’re considering players who just didn’t play at all in 2023.
right_turn_clyde: (response to topic of the week) My two cents.
Defense – Mike Jackson. This way we will have one position group (outside CB) that doesn’t require an immediate upgrade.
Offense – Mays and / or Corbett should be high priority re-signs. Continuity on the O-line will be crucial to a successful start to next season.
I’m not saying we couldn’t or shouldn’t try to upgrade at CB and O-line but addressing them by resigning players that performed well this past year will enable us to focus our recruitment efforts in FA and the draft on other areas that need much more attention.
Great list to me. I would lean more toward Mays than Corbett simply because of injury history and cost, but not having any major need along the offensive line is a great way to maintain momentum in 2025 for the offense. And Mike Jackson more than earned another shot. Bringing him back would allow the team to target safeties and depth players in the secondary.