Cat Crave

● By Dean Jones
After months of prospect evaluations and discussions, the Carolina Panthers are finalizing their board ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft. Dan Morgan set the franchise up nicely after making some tough roster decisions throughout free agency. Hitting on his seven picks would be a tremendous boost to an organization that hasn't exactly thrived during the selection process under previous regimes. The Panthers have some holes to fill that will probably be addressed relatively early. Morgan wants to take the best prospects available regardless of need. That's a nice thought, but very few teams around the league have that luxury when push comes to shove. Given there isn't much money remaining to acquire veteran pieces from the remaining free-agent pool, it raises the stakes for Carolina to hit on the large majority of their choices from the collegiate ranks. Morgan's credentials as a talent evaluator are respected in NFL circles, but his association with previous general manager Scott Fitterer brings a level of skepticism despite the improvements made to the football operation.