3 NFL Trade Deadline Deals the Panthers Should've Been All Over

The Carolina Panthers did not make any moves at the NFL trade deadline on Tuesday. Instead, the team is going to use the players on the current roster and hope that some of the injured players can return in time to make a run at the end of the year.

The Carolina Panthers have plenty of needs on their roster. While they’re still in contention to win the NFC South, general manager Dan Morgan stood pat at the deadline.

Not every team in the NFL was giving up a first-round pick for a player to help them immediately. Some teams were giving up late-round picks for a player.

Keenan Allen Could Have Given Bryce Young Another Reliable Target

The San Francisco 49ers on Tuesday traded for wide receiver Keenan Allen from the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for a 2027 sixth-round draft pick.

That is not much to give up for a veteran wide receiver who is so good at getting open against NFL defenses.

In eight games with the Colts, Allen had 40 catches for 351 yards and one touchdown.

While the Panthers have several young receivers on the roster in McMillan and Coker, adding another experienced target for Young would have helped the offense move the chains for the rest of the season.

The Panthers would have had to deal with Allen’s contract for the remainder of the season, but for a sixth-round pick in 2027, he could have been a nice addition for the rest of the season.

The Panthers are still in contention to win the NFC South, and adding another offensive weapon to help them make a run for the rest of the season would have been a good move.

Andre Cisco Was an Affordable Option for Carolina's Secondary

The Detroit Lions traded for safety Andre Cisco from the New York Jets on Monday for a 2028 sixth-round pick.

With several of Carolina’s corners on IR, a veteran addition to the secondary would have been a good move for the Panthers.

The Panthers are down several players in the secondary due to a rash of injuries.

The veteran safety would have added another experienced player to the Panthers’ secondary, although not necessarily as a direct replacement for one of the injured cornerbacks.

This would have been a good trade for the Panthers because they would have been getting a player of value and giving up very little in terms of future draft picks. His contract would also have to be considered.

Josh Downs Could Have Helped Carolina's Passing Game Beyond This Season

While the San Francisco 49ers made a trade for a veteran wide receiver in Keenan Allen, the Kansas City Chiefs made a trade for a younger wide receiver in Josh Downs. The Chiefs gave up a 2027 fourth-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick to the Indianapolis Colts for Downs and a 2027 seventh-round pick.

While Keenan Allen is a veteran, Downs is a younger player that the Panthers could keep for future years. However, his contract expires after this season.

There are still many opportunities for Carolina to add talent to the receiving corps. Downs would have been a great addition to the offense in several ways, giving Young another target in the passing game, especially in the short area of the field.

Downs had 33 receptions for 354 yards and one touchdown in nine games with the Colts this season.

Downs would have cost more in terms of draft capital than Allen, but not to the extent of multiple first-round picks.

Did the Panthers Miss an Opportunity?

There are several reasons why the Panthers did not make a trade before the trade deadline. Most of the players who are currently on the Panthers’ roster and on the injured list are expected to return to the team in the near future. This would allow the Panthers’ front office to make moves for the future rather than just trying to keep up with other teams in the league.

There are many positions on the team that could use an upgrade, but the Panthers are in a position to win the NFC South right now.

The Panthers have little space under the salary cap and so would have struggled to take on another player’s contract.

Of course, not every traded player would have been a good fit for Carolina, and Morgan could not assume that other teams would have been as willing to make the same trade with the Panthers.

There were many other players traded on Tuesday, and several of those could have been players that the Panthers would be interested in.

While Morgan did not make a big trade, there were plenty of smaller deals that could have been made to help the Panthers down the stretch of the season.

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