Safety Tre’von Moehrig is one of the better young talents on the Las Vegas Raiders, but the impending free agent might continue his career with a new organization. A second-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the TCU product has been one of the game’s better safeties since entering the league and should earn a sizable pay raise in the coming months. However, that new contract may not come from the Raiders, at least if ESPN’s Matt Bowen is to be believed.

In a recent article, the NFL analyst listed the Carolina Panthers as the best fit for the impending free agent. Keep in mind that Bowen’s piece has some free agents returning to their original team, which seems to suggest Bowen could depart. The Raiders will try and retain their homegrown talent, but could Carolina outbid the Raiders for his services?

ESPN: Panthers Named “Best Fit” For Raiders Free Agent Tre’von Moehrig

Despite finishing with a 5-12 record, the future is bright for the Carolina Panthers. After struggling through his rookie season, head coach Dave Canales and General Manager Dan Morgan created a proper environment to support quarterback Bryce Young. While he had a rough start to the season, the former first-overall pick looked like the real deal down the stretch. With the offense secured, the team must turn its attention to the defensive side of the ball.

Carolina built their offense at the expense of the defense, as the unit ranked at or near the bottom of every major statistic last year. While edge defender and linebacker are probably the two biggest needs, Carolina must find another safety. The team didn’t have a safety finish with a top-65 PFF grade at the position, and there are no young players with meaningful upside. Tre’von Moerig wouldn’t singlehandedly fix this unit, but the free agent would be a smart add for a team that could use some help on the back end.

The Raiders and Panthers could fight over Tre’von Moehrig, but which team has the better odds of landing the impending free agent?

Where Will He Sign?

The Las Vegas Raiders are a long way from contending from a Super Bowl, but that doesn’t mean they can’t improve dramatically in 2025. New head coach Pete Carroll is 73, and he won’t want to spend his golden years in a perpetual rebuild. Tre’von Moehrig is entering his age-26 season and he should have plenty of good football left in his system. He could be a franchise cornerstone in the right scheme, and Carroll should know how to get the most out of his talent.

Pete Carroll is an old-school coach who wants to win games with a physical defense that punishes opposing offenses. Moehrig is perfect for this defensive mentality, as he excels against the run and as a blitzer. He’s not as good as Seahawks legend Kam Chancellor, but the two have similar playing styles.

If a bidding war breaks out between the two teams, the Raiders have the financial resources to easily outbid the Panthers. As of this posting, Vegas has a projected $99 million in cap space, compared to Carolina’s relatively modest $24.8 million. Perhaps the Panthers find a way to make something work, but right now, Tre’von Moehrig will probably stay with the team that drafted him.

Main Photo: Kim Klement Neitzel – Imagn Images

David Latham, Managing Editor