Three offseason moves the Panthers should make

The Panthers have plenty of work to do as they try to rebound from a horrendous 2023 campaign. 

Carolina has already traded away defensive end Brian Burns, traded for wide receiver Diontae Johnson and shelled out contracts worth $153 million for guards Damien Lewis and Robert Hunt.

Here are three more moves the front office should make as the offseason chugs along.

Release running back Miles Sanders

A member of Carolina's 2023 free agency class, Sanders was bypassed on the depth chart by third-year back Chuba Hubbard last season. 

During the 2024 NFL Draft, the Panthers took the first running back off the board, Jonathon Brooks, and just this week, they added veteran free agent Rashaad Penny. Sanders is expendable in Carolina, and it might be best for both parties to separate. Per Over The Cap, the Panthers would save $12.4 million against the next three seasons by designating Sanders as a post-June 1 cut.

Explore wide receiver Jonathan Mingo's trade value

With the additions of rookie Xavier Legette and former Steelers wideout Johnson, second-year receiver Mingo doesn't have a pathway to meaningful playing time in Carolina. The No. 39 overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, Mingo might be worth more to another team than the Panthers. He struggled in his rookie campaign, finishing the season with 43 receptions, 418 yards (9.7 yards per catch) and didn't score a touchdown. Per Stathead, he's the only wide receiver in NFL history to be drafted in the first or second round and register at least 40 receptions without a touchdown as a rookie.

He likely won't command much on the trade market, but some teams might view him as a reclamation project worth a Day 3 draft pick, which is something Carolina should, at the very least, consider as it goes in a different direction at the position.

Add another cornerback

The Panthers still have a need at corner opposite Jaycee Horn, who missed the majority of last season with a hamstring injury. Fortunately for Carolina, cornerback is one of the deepest positions remaining in free agency. Stephon Gilmore, Xavien Howard and J.C. Jackson are among the remaining corners on the market. While their best days might be behind them, all would be an improvement over what Carolina already has.

The team added former Bills corner Dane Jackson and re-signed Troy Hill earlier this offseason, and both allowed a quarterback passer rating greater than 100 when targeted in 2023. Per data from Pro Football Focus, they combined to allow 62 completions on 97 targets for 652 yards and eight touchdowns with only one interception. They also ranked in the top 20 in missed tackle rate among 97 corners with at least 490 defensive snaps in 2023.