No Joke: Panthers GM Dan Morgan serious about 2026 NFL Draft, building contender originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Carolina Panthers general manager Dan Morgan was upstaged.
Pausing to begin last Tuesday's pre-draft press conference so it could sync with national programming, those in attendance were asked "to not say anything for the next two minutes:"
That's when Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer took center stage.
"I have a joke," he announced from the front row.
"I was going to say you're not going to say anything for the next 20 minutes," Kaye quipped.
Following the warm-up act, Morgan received his cue and began his 22-minute program. Poised to conduct his third NFL Draft, Morgan remains serious in building a contending roster. Despite an 8-9 record last season, the Panthers captured the NFC South division title and appeared in the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
Morgan is not treating Thursday's No. 19 overall pick as a gag.
In 2024, during his rookie season as GM, Morgan was forced to trade up into the first round to pick wide receiver Xavier Legette. Last April, at No. 8, Morgan stood pat and selected wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan. While Legette has struggled to establish himself professionally, McMillan has developed into one of the league's top first-year performers.
"I think it's a little different picking on the back half of the first round, but it's really no different in terms of the process," Morgan said. "We're going to be ready for any and all scenarios.
"You don't know what guy's gonna fall."
The three-day NFL draft commences Thursday in Pittsburgh with the first round.
Following a successful free-agency foray, which answered several key roster questions, Morgan said in his deadpan style that he plans to investigate top safety, edge, offensive line and wide receiver prospects for their top selections.
The Athletic listed two safeties, Oregon's Dillon Thieneman and Toledo's Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, as top candidates.
Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson, Auburn edge Keldric Faulk, Miami edge Akheem Mesidor and Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq were also viewed as possible targets.