Three Panthers Available for Trade?
When Carolina Panthers GM Scott Fitterer made the move to go up and draft QB Bryce Young, he and the rest of the front office felt like it would make them serious contenders in the NFC South.
The Panthers won seven games a year ago with Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, and PJ Walker all starting multiple games at quarterback. It felt like Young was the missing piece to getting them over the hump.
Unfortunately, things have not panned out through the first five weeks of the season and Carolina is in serious danger of falling to 0-6 on the year as they face the Miami Dolphins on the road this afternoon.
All of a sudden, the Panthers went from a team hoping to make the playoffs to potentially trading away some of its biggest assets to recoup draft picks. Carolina's 2024 first-round pick belongs to Chicago, meaning a dreadful 2023 season doesn't benefit the Panthers in any way.
Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer thinks the Panthers are willing to listen on a handful of players.
"Conversation there starts with Brian Burns. He’s up after this year and owed more than eight figures for the remainder of the season (prorated portion of his $16.01 million). But he’s also just 25 and plays a premium position. Last year the Panthers turned down an absolute haul (a 2023 third-rounder and first-rounders in ’24 and ’25) to get him. And the Panthers and Burns haven’t gotten close to striking a long-term deal.
"A team trading for him could, of course, do a new deal with him, or franchise him in 2024.
"After that, there are three guys I’ve heard are available—safety Jeremy Chinn, receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. and corner Donte Jackson. Chinn is an interesting hybrid linebacker who’d fit some teams better than others, has lost playing time in the switch to Ejiro Evero’s scheme and is in a contract year. Marshall’s a second-rounder who has talent but has yet to really find his footing as a pro. And Jackson’s a really good corner who’s signed through 2024 at a reasonable price (about $4.2 million for the rest of this year and $10.6 million next year)."
Trading Burns is a hard move to make. Pass rushers don't grow on trees but if you are more than a couple of years away from truly having a roster that can compete, it makes sense to at least entertain the idea of moving him. There's no need to pay him top-dollar money when you have no chance at making the playoffs and in return, you're going to get a nice package of picks, one could assume.
The return for Jeremy Chinn, Donte Jackson, or Terrace Marshall Jr. isn't as rich, but they all have value. Chinn played in 18 defensive snaps last week against Detroit and for some reason, has only played in 55% of all defensive snaps this season. If he doesn't fit this coaching staff's scheme, move on from him.
What do you think the Panthers should do? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
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