Steelers Fill Three Trade Needs for Panthers

The Carolina Panthers have been ravaged by injuries over recent weeks, and the Pittsburgh Steelers could potentially help them out.

From offensive tackle Taylor Moton being sidelined for an indefinite amount of time due to a blood clot in his lung to rookie wide receiver Chris Brazzell and EDGE rusher Nic Scourton suffering season-ending LCL and ACL injuries, respectively, at the beginning of training camp, Carolina is now in a tough spot after winning the NFC South in 2025.

The Steelers match up well as trade partners for the Panthers, however, especially when it comes to offensive tackle and EDGE rusher, and it wouldn't come as a surprise if one of Carolina's first calls is to Pittsburgh as it looks to fill the newfound holes on its roster.

Offensive Tackle

Because they took Max Iheanachor in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, Pittsburgh has somewhat of a surplus at offensive tackle that it can deal from should the right opportunity present itself.

The only reason that's true, though, is Broderick Jones' availability at the start of training camp. It was believed the 2023 first-rounder had a strong chance of landing on the PUP list once the Steelers arrived to Latrobe, but he has instead been active and practicing with the rest of the team.

Jones is still working towards regaining some of his strength and weight as Pittsburgh closely monitors his progression. Should he prove to be healthy and capable of playing in games, however, he'd instantly become a trade chip that the Panthers could show serious interest in.

Carolina signed Rasheed Walker to a one-year deal this offseason to play left tackle while also selecting Monroe Freeling in the first round, though Moton's absence coupled with Ikem Ekwonu's ruptured patellar tendon that he suffered in the Wild Card round of the playoffs leaves it without an experienced option at right tackle for the time being.

Assuming Dylan Cook sticks around and wins the right tackle job in Pittsburgh with Iheanachor waiting in the wings, Jones makes sense as a target for the Panthers who wouldn't cost anything more than a late Day 3 pick.

EDGE Rusher

After signing Nick Herbig to a four-year, $100 million extension in June while T.J. Watt enters the first official season of his three-year, $123 million deal he signed last offseason, Alex Highsmith's future with the Steelers has become quite murky.

The 28-year-old has always been buried a bit on Pittsburgh's depth chart from the standpoint of being the team's No. 2 option off the edge behind Watt when he's capable of holding down a No. 1 role.

Shelling out a massive amount of money to keep him when Herbig and Watt are under contract for the next five and three years, respectively, just isn't practical for the Steelers, and Panthers desperately need another EDGE rusher to pair with Jaelan Phillips, whom they signed in free agency this offseason, after Scourton went down.

A North Carolina native who attended Charlotte, Highsmith is a perfect fit for the Panthers. Pittsburgh would likely want a second-rounder for him, and perhaps the Panthers would meet that price tag while also handing him a new deal.

Wide Receiver

This is where it gets harder to line the Steelers up as trade partners with the Panthers.

Pittsburgh isn't going to part ways with DK Metcalf, at least not this summer, and it just brought in Michael Pittman Jr. as well as second-round pick Germie Bernard this offseason.

Fourth-round pick Kaden Wetjen clearly isn't going anywhere either, and Ben Skowronek feels like too much of a difference-maker on special teams for the organization to feel comfortable trading.

That leaves Roman Wilson as the only potential notable name at receiver who may or may not be up for grabs in Pittsburgh, and even then it's a massive reach considering all of the positive buzz surrounding the 24-year-old.

Carolina doesn't need size at receiver and instead could use a quicker separator who could win underneath, which is what Wilson brings to the table.

Unless Wilson loses all of his current momentum and suddenly falls out of favor with the Steelers' new coaching staff, which feels incredibly unlikely, Pittsburgh doesn't have a receiver that would realistically fill Carolina's needs following Brazzell's injury.

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