Locked On Panthers - Daily Podcast On The Carolina Panthers

In this week's NFL Squad, the crew discusses which teams who finished near the bottom of the NFL last season will more than likely remain in the basement this upcoming season, which NFL Draft prospect is the best pound for pound player, a debate on Cam Ward/Shedeur Sanders, and where players like Sam Darnold, Cooper Kupp, Aaron Rodgers, and Deebo Samuel would be the best fits. Support Us By Suppor...

On Wednesday, the NFL issued a memo to clubs projecting a salary cap range of $277.5 million to $281.5 million per team for the 2025 season. This estimate exceeds what teams had anticipated, as most were budgeting for a salary cap between $265 million and $275 million. With the projected salary cap increase of $22.1 million to $26.1 million, how will this affect the Panthers as they head into free...

In 2024, the Carolina Panthers defense had a disastrous season, infamously setting an NFL record for the worst scoring defense. Despite these poor performance numbers, the Panthers' defensive coordinator is set to return for a third season with the team. Given the struggles faced during the 2024 season, there are several pressing needs for improvement across the defensive unit. The question remain...

The Carolina Panthers announced on Friday that long snapper JJ Jansen will return for his 17th season with the team in 2025. While Jansen is all set to come back, will Eddy Pineiro and Johnny Hekker also return with the Panthers next season? Pineiro has established himself as one of the most accurate kickers in the NFL, but will his choice to skip OTA last offseason, along with his limited leg str...

How will the Carolina Panthers reshape their safety room for the upcoming NFL season? With key players like Xavier Woods and Jordan Fuller facing free agency, the Panthers are at a crossroads. Julian Council breaks down the Panthers 2024 safety performance, spotlighting standout moments from undrafted free agaent rookie Demani Richardson and the struggles from the rest of the starting unit. He exp...

Cam Newton stirred controversy in Panthers Nation earlier this week when he stated in a podcast that when he arrived in Carolina as the No. 1 overall pick, he entered a "locker room of losers." One former player who took issue with this comment was Steve Smith Sr., who was Newton's top receiver during his first few years with the team. This isn't the first time Newton has been critical of the orga...

In this week's NFL Squad, the crew discusses which teams are closer to the Philadelphia Eagles after their Super Bowl win, which NFL trade makes sense for Aaron Rodgers, Deebo Samuel, or Cooper Kupp. Plus, the squad discusses the ideal fit for their respective teams in the NFL Draft. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! LinkedIn LinkedIn Jobs helps you find the qualified candidates you want to t...

Finally healthy for a full season, Jaycee Horn demonstrated why the Carolina Panthers decided to exercise his fifth-year option, despite him missing 29 games in his first three seasons with the team, as Horn earned Pro Bowl honors in 2024. He is set to play under the fifth-year option in 2025, but will the Panthers choose to extend Horn this offseason? If they do, where will he rank among the high...

In 2024, the Carolina Panthers linebackers were among the most injury-plagued units on the roster, as the team had to start six different players at the position due to Shaq Thompson's season-ending Achilles injury, along with Josey Jewell and Trevin Wallace facing their own injury challenges. Julian Council reflects on how the Panthers linebackers performed during a season marked by injuries.   S...

The Carolina Panthers pass rush has been virtually nonexistent over the past few seasons. Although the team once featured Brian Burns and Haason Reddick, they now lack a significant impact player at the EDGE rusher position. However, could Jadeveon Clowney or D.J. Wonnum provide a spark in 2025 after showing signs of improvement in 2024? Julian Council examines how the Panthers' pass rushers perfo...

In 2024, the Carolina Panthers faced the worst defensive season in franchise history, marking one of the most challenging years defensively in modern NFL history. A significant factor in this struggle was the performance of the defensive line throughout the season. Pro Bowl defensive tackle Derrick Brown was lost for the season after Week 1, and the players expected to fill his role did not meet e...

Super Bowl 59 is scheduled to take place in New Orleans on Sunday afternoon, but the major topic of conversation during Super Bowl week has been the offseason destinations of two of the NFL's biggest stars. On Monday, former NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett informed the Cleveland Browns of his desire to be traded in his pursuit of a Super Bowl victory. Later that week, the Los Angele...

The Carolina Panthers offense required significant improvements during the 2024 offseason, and nearly a year later, it's evident that general manager Dan Morgan successfully built a capable unit around second-year quarterback Bryce Young. As the new offseason approaches, should Morgan focus on maximizing Young’s talent after his impressive turnaround in the season's second half? While the Panthers...

In this week's NFL Squad, the crew discusses how potential Myles Garrett and Cooper Kupp trades could impact the landscape of the NFL. Plus, they also share their Super Bowl 59 Predictions and discuss who they think will take home Super Bowl MVP honors. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Betterhelp Discover your relationship “green flags” with BetterHelp. Visit betterhelp.com/lockedon today t...

The Carolina Panthers' offensive line improvement in 2024 is primarily due to the roster changes made during the offseason aimed at enhancing the overall talent and depth in the interior offensive line, specifically at guard and center. However, the contributions of the tackles in 2024 cannot be overlooked, as Ickey Ekwonu experienced a bounce-back season at left tackle, while Taylor Moton remaine...

The Carolina Panthers aimed to strengthen the offensive line during the 2024 offseason and demonstrated their commitment to enhancing the talent within the interior by signing Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis to a combined $153 million on the first day of the legal negotiating period. In 2024, both Hunt and Lewis proved to be valuable investments, while second-year guard Chandler Zavala impressed with...

Since Greg Olsen's departure, the Carolina Panthers have consistently ranked among the bottom of the NFL in both tight end usage and production. However, with the selection of Ja'Tavion Sanders and his promising rookie season, it seems that Carolina has finally found Olsen's replacement five years after he left the team. A significant factor in Sanders' emergence in 2024 was the injury struggles o...

The Carolina Panthers are about a month and a half away from the start of free agency. With several needs on both sides of the ball, particularly on defense, which positions will the front office prioritize? Will they repeat last year's strategy of spending big on one position group? Washington Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels mentioned that using virtual reality (VR) technology, start...

The Carolina Panthers needed better wide receiver play in 2024, following a year in which the unit ranked among the worst in the NFL. The Panthers successfully improved as Adam Thielen continued to demonstrate his youth after more than a decade in the league; two rookies—Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker—showed promise, and David Moore had his best season in several years. While the Panthers saw thos...

In this week's NFL Squad, the crew discusses whether or not the AFC or NFC has the best shot at winning Super Bowl 59 between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles. Plus they discuss the potential impact of Sam Darnold's upcoming free agency and which QB has the best shot at becoming a true rival for Patrick Mahomes. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!   LinkedIn LinkedIn Jobs helps y...

2024 was a standout year for Chuba Hubbard as he set career highs in rushing attempts (250) and rushing yards (1,195) while securing a four-year, $33.2 million contract extension, solidifying his status as a Top 10 RB in the NFL. While Hubbard's future is secure heading into the offseason, questions arise regarding Jonathon Brooks after he re-tore the ACL in his right knee after playing only three...

The 2024 season was a rollercoaster ride for the Carolina Panthers' quarterback position. The Panthers transitioned from benching Bryce Young to Dave Canales continuously supporting Andy Dalton, despite Dalton's performance declining and the team continuing to lose. Young eventually regained his starting role due to Dalton’s injury, claiming the position for the remainder of the year and solidifyi...

The Carolina Panthers are just over a month and a half away from the start of the 2025 NFL new league year. However, before they reach that date on March 13, when free agency officially begins, they will need to decide what to do with their 27 pending free agents. Who should stay, and who should go? Julian Council evaluates whether Andy Dalton should return as Bryce Young's backup at quarterback,...

Bryce Young's performance in the second half of the 2024 regular season marked significant progress for the Carolina Panthers organization, and he is set to start again in 2025. According to Pro Football Focus, Young ranked as the sixth highest-graded quarterback in the NFL from Week 9 until the end of the regular season. Given how Young concluded the season and considering that most elite quarter...

Will Dave Canales end up being the head coach who gives a eulogy for David Tepper at his funeral? That was the hope of the Carolina Panthers owner when he set out to find a new leader for the franchise last January. After benching Bryce Young two weeks into the season and starting with a rocky 1-7 record, Canales and Young helped turn things around as the Panthers finished 4-5 in the second half o...