NFL trade deadline: Breaking down Panthers’ draft pick inventory ahead of potential moves
The Carolina Panthers’ March trade-up to the No. 1 overall pick — which led to the selection of rookie quarterback Bryce Young — has left the franchise with limited draft resources for the next two offseasons. The squad’s lack of premium picks in 2024 and 2025 will make it harder for the team to acquire notable talent ahead of the NFL’s annual trade deadline (Oct. 31, 4 p.m.).
Carolina will return from its annual bye week at 0-6, sitting alone at the bottom of the NFL totem pole through the first seven weeks of the Frank Reich era. The NFL’s lone winless squad should have an eye on the future, but due to the team’s aggressive move up the draft board this offseason, their fortunes are still somewhat tied to this year’s campaign.
With Young struggling out of the gate due to a lack of talent around him, the franchise might want to press its luck by adding a veteran player (or two) to help the embattled quarterback bounce back down the stretch. But with the Panthers’ 2024 first-round and 2025 second-round picks in the hands of the Chicago Bears due to the trade up to acquire Young, their ability to add premium talent will be limited, at the trade deadline and in the next two drafts.
Logically, the Panthers should be focused on trading away veteran players for future, cost-controlled draft assets to improve their pick inventory. However, a handful of national reports have still linked them to the buyers’ market, with some specifically connecting the team to the search for wide receiver upgrades. Unfortunately for Carolina, the trade options (or lack thereof) for true wideout upgrades basically fall in line with the Panthers’ lack of trade ammo.
Still, if the Panthers feel compelled to double down on Young’s 2023 outlook, they’ll need to be creative with a trade for an upgrade at a position of need. With that in mind, below is a breakdown of the Panthers’ draft pick inventory for the next two offseasons:
Panthers’ 2024 draft picks
▪ Panthers’ 2024 second-round pick
▪ Panthers’ 2024 third-round pick
▪ Panthers’ 2024 fourth-round pick
▪ 49ers’ 2024 fifth-round pick*
▪ Titans’ 2024 fifth-round pick*
▪ Cardinals’ 2024 sixth-round pick*
Previous trades:
▪ The Panthers traded their 2024 first-round pick — along with wideout DJ Moore and three other picks — to the Bears in the 2023 deal for the No. 1 pick this offseason.
▪ The Panthers acquired the 49ers’ 2024 fifth-round pick as part of last year’s Christian McCaffrey trade.
▪ The Panthers acquired the Titans’ 2024 fifth-round pick as part of a trade last year involving offensive tackle Dennis Daley.
▪ The Panthers traded away their 2024 fifth-round pick in exchange for quarterback Baker Mayfield. The selection was initially conditional — based on Mayfield’s 2023 playing time — and the lower value was assigned after the criteria for a fourth-round pick wasn’t met.
▪ The Panthers acquired the Cardinals’ 2024 sixth-round pick in last year’s trade involving wide receiver Robbie Chosen. Chosen was previously known as Robbie Anderson when he played for the Panthers.
▪ The Panthers traded away their 2024 sixth-round pick as part of last year’s trade for wideout/running back Laviska Shenault.
▪ The Panthers traded away their 2024 seventh-round pick in the Daley trade from last year.
Panthers’ 2025 draft picks
▪ Panthers’ 2025 first-round pick
▪ Panthers’ 2025 third-round pick
▪ Panthers’ 2025 fourth-round pick
▪ Panthers’ 2025 fifth-round pick
▪ Panthers’ 2025 sixth-round pick
▪ Cardinals’ 2025 seventh round-pick*
▪ Panthers’ or Chiefs’ 2025 seventh-round pick*
Previous trades
▪ The Panthers traded away their 2025 second-round pick as part of the 2023 trade for No. 1 overall.
▪ The Panthers also acquired the Cardinals’ 2025 seventh-round pick in the Chosen trade.
▪ The Panthers made a conditional draft pick swap with the Kansas City Chiefs in August for wideout Ihmir Smith-Marsette. The two teams will swap 2025 seventh-round picks if an undisclosed condition is met prior to the 2025 draft.
This story was originally published October 23, 2023 at 6:30 AM.
