Carolina Panthers urged to trade 3-time Pro Bowler, start over at key position

Carolina's edge rotation is already weak and thin.

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - AUGUST 17: Jadeveon Clowney #7 of the Carolina Panthers warms up before a preseason game against the New York Jets at Bank of America Stadium on August 17, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. / (Kara Durrette/Getty Images)

The Carolina Panthers don't have a ton of talent on their roster right now, especially on the defensive side of the ball. That means general manager Dan Morgan has to be exceedingly careful when it comes to crafting each unit for the coming 2025 season. The goal should be building a younger, more capable defense against the run - and ideally one that can get more pressure and also cover better on the back end.

In other words, they need help at all three levels to do just about everything a defense needs to do in the modern NFL. That's why we're leery about this trade idea from Alex Ballentine at Bleacher Report. He suggests the Panthers should trade outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney and start over on the edge.

B/R on Panthers-Jadeveon Clowney

"However, head coach Dave Canales acknowledged that defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero is going to have to make some changes. Some of that work is going to have to involve developing the personnel they have. But they are going to have to bring some new players in as well. The Panthers didn't do enough to recoup the loss of Brian Burns, and it might be better to just trade away Jadeveon Clowney and start over on the edge."

Mdway through the 2024 season this would have semed like the right thing to do. Clowney got off to a brutally slow start, posting just one sack in the team's first eight games. However, Clowney was able to turn things around coinciding with the addition of DJ Wonnum to the lineup.

With Wonnum applying pressure to the other side, Clowney was finally free to get to the quarterack, and he was ble to finish the year with 5.5 sacks and 7.5 tackles for a loss. Wonnum posted three sacks and four tackles for a loss for his part.

Clowney is past his prime and the Panthers do need to get younger at this position group, but trading him is only going to set them back further. It would be better to use an early draft pick on a promising edge prospect and look to replace Clowney in 2026, or possibly later depending on how he performs next season.

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