Carolina Panthers' best pass rusher named NFL draft trade candidate

Jadeveon Clowney might be the best piece of trade-bait that the Panthers front office has right now.

Dec 1, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers linebacker Jadeveon Clowney (7) celebrates with defensive end A'Shawn Robinson (94) after sacking Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) in the second quarter at Bank of America Stadium. / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The Carolina Panthers went all out in free agency to improve what had been the worst defense in the history of the NFL. Along the way they kept a good cornerback room intact, scored a big upgrade at safety and made multiple big investments to their defensive front-seven. While we like the moves they made, even if all of them pay off it might only move this defense from being ranked 32nd to something like 25th.

If they're really going to improve in a way that gives them a chance to make the playoffs next season, the first order of business during the 2025 NFL draft will have to be upgrading their edge rush rotation. This idea from Fox Sports probably wouldn't help in that department. They have named outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney as the one Panthers player who could get traded around the draft.

Fox Sports on Jadeveon Clowney as trade candidate

"The Panthers are improving, but are probably a year away from being a serious playoff contender. So a 32-year-old edge rusher in the last year of a two-year, $20 million deal should absolutely have a "For Sale" sign on his back. Clowney has spent his career as a hired gun. His next team will be his seventh in 12 NFL seasons. But he had 5.5 sacks last year and 9.5 in Baltimore the year before. He can be a big boost to the defense of a contender, and they probably can handle a contract that has him due about $10 million this year."

Jul 30, 2024; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers linebacker Jadeveon Clowney (7) smiles at Carolina Panthers Practice Fields. / Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

There is some logic here, and Clowney is by far the team's best trade-bait on the roster right now. His expiring contract is only part of the appeal - Clowney had a rough start to last season but when DJ Wonnum finally joined the lineup Clowney came to life. After managing just one sack the team's first eight games he racked up 4.5 more down the stretch, finishing with a team-best 5.5 sacks.

Clowney can certainly do better than that - and if Derrick Brown and DJ Wonnum can stay healthy it shouldn't be hard for Clowney to best that number.

That being said, even if Clowney is on pace for 10+ sacks by midseason (which would be a career high somehow) the Panthers might want to explore trading him - or at least listening to offers ahead of the trade deadline. A contender that needs a pass rusher might be willing to give up a Day 3 pick for Clowney, who isn't under contract next year in any case.

No matter what they're planning for Clowney, the Panthers should probably expend a good deal of draft capital on that edge position in the draft - taking two is a distinct possibility.

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