New Panthers trade proposal adds 160-tackle defender from Bears

The Panthers and Bears have linked up in the past, and they could come together for an Andrew Billings trade.

Oct 13, 2024; London, United Kingdom; Chicago Bears defensive tackle Andrew Billings (97) during an NFL International Series game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter van den Berg-Imagn Images | Peter van den Berg-Imagn Images

The Carolina Panthers have made great strides on defense during the offseason. After a historically poor season with league-worst run defending, the Panthers made a concerted effort to fix the interior. They can still do even more (and might need to) in the coming days.

For the most part, the draft remains the best place to continue addressing issues. That's primarily where the Panthers will do their work. They have nine picks, and you can bet that at least half or more will go to defense, and most of those on the interior.

But they can also make trades, and Last Word on Sports' Anthony Palacios believes they could get involved with the Chicago Bears. Veteran journeyman defensive tackle Andrew Billings could be dangled in the trade market, and Palacios thinks the Panthers might be interested.

Nov 3, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Chicago Bears defensive tackle Andrew Billings (97) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

He praised the Panthers for finally fixing their defense, noting that they're a pretty well-rounded team on both sides of the ball now. Derrick Brown’s return, Tershawn Wharton's arrival, and Jadeveon Clowney’s contract year have Palacios confident, but adding Billings could be a key, underrated move to finish things off.

This would presumably be a pretty cheap trade to make, and it wouldn't necessarily be a bad one. However, the Panthers do have veteran journeymen as backup defensive players because they were the starters last year.

Plus, if the Panthers do still feel the need to shore up the interior, the draft is a much better place to do it. The upside with a prospect is much higher, and they could end up with someone really good like Mason Graham or Derrick Harmon.

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