'Perfect' trade proposal reshapes Carolina Panthers defense

Are the Carolina Panthers one piece away? Probably not, they still need a safety, linebacker, tight end, and the jury's out on the edge rushers. What if that piece was a perennial borderline Defensive Player of the Year candidate? That might change things.

With the Panthers coming off an absolutely brutal defensive year in which they featured a feckless (at best) pass rush, the need for someone like Trey Hendrickson is clear. Even with Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen, there's always a need for better or more.

That's why Hendrickson to the Panthers is FOX Sports' David Helman's "perfect" trade for the training camp holdout. Hendrickson wants a new deal, and the Cincinnati Bengals aren't budging. What if the Panthers swooped in to save the day?

The Panthers, like most teams, have spent the entire offseason investing cap space and saving money for future contracts, so it’s not easy to find teams that can part with enough draft capital and sign the disgruntled player to a new deal, but the Panthers might be one, Helman says.

"Even with the large number of free agent contracts they’ve signed, Carolina still has some cap space, and they can afford to wait on extending Bryce Young," he went on. "They also need the help on the edge, as the Panthers have been lacking a true star pass rusher since they shipped Brian Burns out of town."

Hendrickson, at 30, probably doesn't want a long-term deal on a team that hasn't won more than seven games since 2017. However, that's the risk he runs when asking for a trade. The trade might also sound like overkill after investing in the edge so much this offseason.

But DJ Wonnum is not a superstar nor is he under contract beyond this year. He's easy to move off of. Both Princely Umanmielen and Nic Scourton are rookies who could learn from and play alongside Hendrickson. Pat Jones is on a two-year deal, but he can serve as depth and is only costing $10 million, so it's easy to ignore. Is this going to happen? Probably not, but at least one insider can see the vision.

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