INDIANAPOLIS — Dan Morgan is considering the future in more ways than one this draft cycle.

Appearing on The Pat McAfee Show on ESPN Thursday afternoon, the Panthers general manager responded to reports that teams could be interested in Carolina's backup quarterback, Andy Dalton. Trade rumors circulated amongst the convention center and downtown, serving as headquarters for the NFL this week.

"I think it's the—there's a potential that somebody may want him," Morgan acknowledged when asked about the rumors by McAfee. "Andy's a really good player, and he's a great guy, great culture fit for us.

"I haven't talked to any teams about a trade, but I think if the possibility did come up that I would talk to Andy, give him that option and let him explore a trade."

If that does happen, it could accelerate the possibility for a rookie or young passer in the backup role, something Morgan told reporters in his end-of-season press conference that he would be open to; he reiterated the message to McAfee on Thursday.

"I do think that we want to get a little younger and a little more athletic at that backup quarterback spot," Morgan said of developing someone behind Bryce Young. "So we'll see what happens from there."

That naturally led to questions around Anthony Richardson.

Drafted at No. 4 overall in 2023, the same draft in which Young was drafted No. 1 overall, Richardson's career with the Indianapolis Colts has been marred by injuries, a benching, and quarterback competitions.

On Thursday, the Colts announced that they had granted Richardson's request to seek a trade. Asked if the Panthers would be interested in that possibility, Morgan shut down the idea of trading for any young passer.

"We're not trading," Morgan stated. "I'm not giving away draft picks. We've got to build through the draft."

The Panthers have seven draft picks in the upcoming 2026 NFL draft this April, including two fifth-round picks.

Heading into the 2026 offseason, Morgan and the Panthers feel confident in Bryce Young and what he can bring to the team moving forward, following a career-best year in 2025. Morgan continued to put his support behind his quarterback, not just for how he played in 2025, but his entire career arc up to this point.

"I'm proud of Bryce in general," said Morgan. "To go through the adversity that he went through and getting benched. I remember him sitting in my office and talking to him about, like, 'Hey, you're eventually going to be back out there, just take this in stride, try to go out there, just keep working hard.'

"And he went out there, he worked hard, he put the work in, and I'm just so proud of him for doing that."

A dream come true for Rivers

When Chandler Rivers committed to Duke, it was with one plan and one dream: to win an ACC Championship for the Blue Devils before he left. And in the age of the transfer portal, Rivers did something that is more and more rare: he stayed and watched that goal come to fruition.

"It felt good coming back for my senior year with the guys that I came in with, and that was just a common goal when we first all came in as true freshmen to win the ACC and we ended up doing it on the way out, so it felt pretty good," Rivers said Thursday, referring to Duke's surprising ACC win over Virginia.

"That meant everything to stay with them guys. Came in together, we wanted to finish together, and that was just something I was big on, just changing the culture of the team as a whole."

Now, as Rivers prepares for the NFL, the Duke corner is picking up tips from one of his favorite corners in the game: Jaycee Horn.

"I like watching him because I feel like he's a technician," Rivers said after sharing that Horn was one of his top corners."I like watching his off-man tape because like I just said, he's a technician and I pride myself on being a technician, being detailed, and that's just what I get when I watch him play."

Another fan of Horn's game

Chandler Rivers and Brandon Cisse weren't the only corners bragging on Jaycee Horn Thursday morning. LSU corner Mansoor Delane was asked to list his top five corners in the NFL right now, and capped it with the Panthers Pro Bowler.

"Quinyon Mitchell," he started. "I'll say Pat Surtain, Derek Stingley, Devin Witherspoon, and Jaycee Horn."

Every corner prospect seemed to highlight a different part of Horn's game that they admired, a testament to his versatility. For Delane, it was Horn's stickiness and aggressiveness.

"I think his press technique, I'm a studier of the game, especially the NFL, I think he's a very cerebral guy. I think that he lurks well in cover 3, and just in his ability to (cover) receivers," Delane said.

Horn and Mike Jackson have led the NFL in several categories over the past two seasons, most recently in total interceptions as a corner duo. A chance to play, learn, and develop behind such a duo has been an exciting possibility for prospects like Delane.

"I would want to be a sponge," Delane said. "I just want to learn from guys like that, man. I think, you know, that's the biggest thing for me, you know, I'd like to surround myself with high-caliber talent that I just soak up, and I try to bring and add new things to my game. So you know, I would love to be a part of something with people of high caliber players."

There is a chance someone like Delane could come in and play alongside Horn and Jackson, though. The LSU defensive back said teams have been talking to him a lot about nickel this week.

"They're asking me am I willing to play inside, willing to play outside, and I just tell them I'm willing to do whatever I can to help the team.

"Playing inside, it's a lot of room, a lot of grass, you know, you have to kind of know where your help is, know if you're blitzing, you're kind of more in run fits. It's probably the biggest difference."

Kilgore asked about returning at next level

South Carolina safety Jalon Kilgore has spent a lot of time this week talking to teams about what he brings to a defense. The four-sport athlete (football, basketball, baseball, and track) spent three years with the Gamecocks and finished off his three-year career with a 2025 season that tallied 54 total tackles, two fumble recoveries, and two interceptions.

He plans to perform every drill during workouts on Friday.

"I feel like in all of them, I'm going to be able to show my speed, my change of direction, how far I can jump, how low I can jump. So I'm just ready to go out there and perform and put my best foot forward."

As a freshman at South Carolina, Kilgore also acted as a punt returner. He had nine returns for 49 yards. While he's done it a handful of times since, it hasn't been as a starter since he began contributing more on defense. However, Kilgore said,"I've talked to a couple of teams about that as well" this week.