Should the Carolina Panthers swing big on A.J. Brown trade?

If A.J. Brown is available, should the Panthers go get him?

Jan 11, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) can't make catch during the fourth quarter against the San Francisco 49ers in an NFC Wild Card Round game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The Carolina Panthers seem to have two really good wide receivers in Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker, forming a strong one-two punch on offense. Beyond that, though, the WR is not in the best shape.

Xavier Legette continues to struggle, and he looks like a total bust. Jimmy Horn Jr. is still very raw. Brycen Tremayne is a special teams player. There's not a ton of depth here.

Enter A.J. Brown. After all the trouble, there is a good chance the Philadelphia Eagles will move on from him this offseason. If so, should the Panthers get into the chase?

Should the Panthers try to trade for A.J. Brown?

Jan 11, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) looks on prior to an NFC Wild Card Round game against the San Francisco 49ers at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

A.J. Brown is as talented as they come. He's a big-bodied receiver capable of making huge plays deep down the field. He'd be the best wide receiver the Carolina Panthers have had since prime Steve Smith.

With all that said, they should avoid trading for him. As mentioned, the Panthers don't have depth at wide receiver, so they do need someone there. Brown, for lack of a better way to put it, is too good to go after.

He'd be the WR1, but that role needs to stay Tetairoa McMillan's. If he's going to continue getting better, the Panthers should shower him with targets. The same is true of WR2 Jalen Coker. If he's going to continue on this path, it's not as a WR3.

Brown, McMillan, and Coker would essentially be the best wide receiver trio in the NFL. But it'll come at a cost, and it will impact the development of the two young stars.

Brown would require first-round picks or players or both, and the Panthers aren't quite in the right situation to fork those over for a talented player. They're still rebuilding, so they need the draft picks and players.

They also need to avoid adding Brown's salary. He's got a significant cap hit, and the Panthers would have a hard time swallowing it.

There's also the matter of his own feelings. Brown was disgruntled in a run-heavy offense with inconsistent QB play that didn't get him the ball enough.

If he were to join the Panthers, he'd be joining a run-centric offense with a quarterback who has been somewhat inconsistent. And with McMillan and Coker, Brown just wouldn't get the ball as much as he'd like.

Think of it like DK Metcalf, who is a similar player, just not as good. The Panthers didn't trade for him, either. Brown's a great player, but he's not the right investment for the Panthers.

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