Insider drops update on Panthers' potential pursuit of DPOY finalist

Could the Carolina Panthers try to trade for this superstar defensive player during the NFL offseason?

Dec 22, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) runs onto the field before the game against the Cleveland Browns at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

The Carolina Panthers have made quite a few solid moves in NFL free agency, but they have yet to really make the big splash that Panthers fans have wanted.

It's obviously difficult for Carolina with only modest cap space, but the Panthers definitely need to find a way to acquire star talent somehow.

The problem is that most of the best players have already flown off the free-agent market, leaving Carolina to explore the possibility of trades. But is there anyone available for the Panthers?

Well, Carolina is definitely in need of a pass rusher, as it totaled just 32 sacks in 2024. The Panthers did add a couple of nice pieces in Tershawn Wharton and Pat Jones, but they still lack that dominant presence in the trenches.

Could Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson be the answer?

Hendrickson recently requested a trade from the Bengals due to a contract dispute, which would easily make him the most prominent defensive player on the trade market. However, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated isn't sure that a Hendrickson pursuit is in the cards for Carolina.

"Greg, I’d be surprised," Breer responded to a fan who asked if the Panthers could potentially make a play for Hendrickson. "They have too many holes to fill to give up high-end draft capital to go get him. They only have eight picks to work with right now, and plenty to address."

Hendrickson racked up 17.5 sacks for the second straight year this season, finishing second in Defensive Player of the Year voting. He would unquestionably represent a massive addition for Carolina, but he is 30 years old and is seeking an enormous extension.

It probably isn't in the Panthers' best interest to surrender such significant draft capital for an aging star while also having to pay him big money over a long period of time in the process.

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) celebrates a stop in the fourth quarter of the NFL Week 18 game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. The Bengals won 19-17 to finish the regular season at 9-8. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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