Just 2 Panthers Would Net a First-Round Pick and More in Blockbuster Deals

The Carolina Panthers aren't in the business of making blockbuster trades. Those usually end up aging poorly for them. They got too little value for Christian McCaffrey, waited way too long to trade Brian Burns, and got fleeced in the trade that got them Bryce Young.

Still, it's a weapon every team needs to have. The Cleveland Browns have been awful, but they were able to kickstart more of a rebuild by trading away their franchise star and most valuable piece, Myles Garrett.

The Panthers don't really have anyone on that level. According to ESPN's Bill Barnwell, they only have two players who would fetch a first-round pick and additional compensation.

Only Tetairoa McMillan and Derrick Brown would bring in a massive trade return for the Panthers

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (4) makes a catch during the first day of mini camp | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Panthers aren't looking to tear it down, but if things go horribly this year, maybe they push the self-destruct button like they're England manager Thomas Tuchel defending a one-goal lead against Argentina.

Maybe they decide to blow it up, get some assets, and rebuild with the current regime instead of rebuilding with a regime that was ousted almost immediately after starting. And if they do, they would probably need to make some hard decisions.

The first thing to consider in this hypothetical scenario is who would bring in the most draft capital. According to ESPN's Bill Barnwell, just two Panthers would bring in a first-round pick and then some: Tetairoa McMillan and Derrick Brown.

And truthfully, even in a rebuild, those players may be untouchable. McMillan certainly would be, but Brown's age and contract status might make him expendable. Either way, that's the extent of elite trade assets the Panthers have.

Jaycee Horn, Jaelan Phillips, Bryce Young, Monroe Freeling and everyone else would bring in one first-rounder or less. So if the Panthers need to rebuild, they'd have to look at McMillan and Brown.

"Brown successfully returned from the knee injury that cost the star tackle virtually all of the 2024 season and had arguably his best season as a pro," Barnwell wrote.

Carolina Panthers defensive end Derrick Brown (95) during th first day of mini camp | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

He continued, "Brown racked up five sacks and was a load for offensive linemen to handle when they tried to run between the tackles against Carolina. He's another defensive tackle who would qualify for the Quinnen Williams package if the Panthers ever decided to deal away their top player."

Defensive tackles are often not seen as valuable, at least compared to other key positions, but there is precedent for this. The Dallas Cowboys traded a former first-round player, a second-round pick, and a first-round pick for Quinnen Williams.

The Cincinnati Bengals traded a top-10 selection to the New York Giants for Dexter Lawrence, and to be totally honest, Brown is better than both of them. He's arguably the second or third-best DT in the NFL.

The Panthers aren't going to move him, but they could get an absolute haul for him or McMillan if they really needed to recoup some assets. Fortunately, we're not at that stage.

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