General manager Dan Morgan is making waves this offseason, and he's not done yet. After a busy 2026 NFL Draft, the Carolina Panthers have aggressively targeted the undrafted free agent market, adding a pair of intriguing, big-school defensive backs to challenge for roster spots.

First up: Georgia defensive back JaCorey Thomas. Standing at 6-foot-0 and 205 pounds, Thomas turned heads with a career-best performance in the 2025 SEC Championship Game, tallying six tackles and his first career sack. That kind of big-game production is exactly what Morgan is looking for as he builds depth in the secondary.

Then there's Patrick Payton, a 6-foot-5, 260-pound edge rusher who might be the sleeper of this class. Payton, the 2022 ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year, spent three seasons at Florida State before transferring to LSU for 2025 as the top-ranked defensive end in the portal. He finished his college career with 143 tackles and 17 sacks—numbers that scream "pro-ready."

The Panthers didn't address the edge position in the draft, so bringing in Payton for rookie minicamp on May 8 feels like a smart, low-risk move. If he can translate his college production to the NFL, he could be a steal.

These signings come on the heels of Morgan's boldest move yet: a $250,000 guaranteed deal for Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King. With rookie minicamp just around the corner, the Panthers' roster is getting more competitive by the day.