Which teams could be logical NFL Draft trade partners for Carolina Panthers at No. 8?
The NFL offseason is already speeding by, as free agency will begin next week (March 12) with the draft less than two months away.
The Carolina Panthers just completed their trip to the annual NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, so fans are understandably curious about the lead-up to significant roster movement. That’s why we’ve brought back the Panthers mailbag to answer some standout questions from social media.
Here are some interesting questions from Bluesky and X (formerly known as Twitter) worth exploring:
Trading before drafting in Carolina
Michael on Bluesky asks: Do any teams have multiple 2nds? I feel like trading back and picking up multiple 2-3 round picks would make a lot of sense.
There are just two teams with multiple second-round picks as of now: The Chicago Bears (one of which came from the Panthers in the 2023 trade up to No. 1) and the Buffalo Bills.
There are actually five teams with multiple third-round picks (prior to the awarding of compensation picks): The Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars, Las Vegas Raiders, New Orleans Saints and Kansas City Chiefs.
While Michael (nice name) has a sharp strategy in theory, it’s important to note where all seven teams with multiple Day 2 picks are selecting in the first round to determine whether a deal is plausible, or even possible, in a trade-back scenario.
The Bears are picking at No. 10, just two spots behind the Panthers at No. 8. A trade up of two slots, even in the top 10, likely wouldn’t cost a second-round pick, especially one in the first half of the second round. The Bills are at No. 30, and so a trade back of more than 20 picks would lead to the Panthers asking for a TON in return, let alone a second-round pick. Still, dropping that far down, even with a drop-off in talent within the top five to seven picks, it might not be worth it for the Panthers.
The Browns (No. 2), Jaguars (No. 5) and Raiders (No. 6) all pick in front of the Panthers, so Carolina wouldn’t get the return haul in a first-round trade with those teams. The Saints (No. 9) are just one pick behind the Panthers, and while they are division rivals, Carolina likely wouldn’t get a third-round pick from moving back one spot — more likely to land a fourth-round pick in that scenario.
The Chiefs are picking at No. 31, so they’d be a similar trade partner to the Bills. Again, is dropping that far down worth it for the Panthers?
The more likely trade-back options are teams like the San Francisco 49ers (No. 11), Dallas Cowboys (No. 12), and Miami Dolphins (No. 13). Those teams could trade up for the top cornerback, offensive tackle or tight end options, while the Panthers would land a Day 2 pick in return. A three-to-five pick slide seems advantageous if Carolina can net a Day 2 pick, even in the third-round range. The talent drop-off won’t be significant, and the trade partner won’t overthink the value of a Day 2 pick.
The 49ers, Cowboys and Dolphins all have recent histories of being aggressive in the first round as well.
Teams like the Arizona Cardinals (No. 16), Cincinnati Bengals (No. 17) and Seattle Seahawks (No. 18), just narrowly missed the playoffs last year. They could also glean that they are only a few players away from contending, so sending a second-round pick (and likely more) to the Panthers to jump into the top-10 for a premium prospect could be appealing. Perhaps the Panthers could take advantage and add a pick (or several) in a deal.
A season of change for safety
@theblancaster on X asks: How do you see the Panthers handling the safety room? Any specific targets that stick out to you?
This beat writer is also intrigued by this position group.
Xavier Woods, the team’s longtime starter, will test free agency, according to GM Dan Morgan. Jordan Fuller will also test free agency, but he’s likely gone with little shot of returning after his late-season benching.
The Panthers will also watch special teams aces Nick Scott, Lonnie Johnson and Sam Franklin hit the open market. While one or two of those role players could return, it’s unlikely that any of them will have an impact on Carolina’s defense in 2025.
So, second-year safety Demani Richardson, a 2024 undrafted gem, is the only notable player at the position under contract. There’s a chance Woods returns, but it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see him chase a new opportunity after dealing with three seasons of consistent losing in Charlotte.
Essentially, the Panthers, at best, need at least two new players at safety — with a likely preference of both being starting-caliber talents — and they might try to double down in the draft and free agency to accomplish that influx.
In theory, if they were to re-sign Woods, they’d likely still go for a major upgrade in free agency to pair him with a legitimate game-changer at the position. If the team passes on re-signing Woods, it’d be fair to still expect the game-changer in free agency and some notable competition for Richardson in the draft.
In free agency, the two names that have stood out are Jevon Holland of the Miami Dolphins and Tre’von Moehrig of the Las Vegas Raiders. The two longtime starters are in their mid-20s but have different skill sets.
While the Panthers could sign both, in theory, the expectation here is that the team will be aggressive with one veteran upgrade on the open market before going to the draft for a double dip.
Moehrig feels like an ideal fit to help fix the Panthers’ porous run defense. The 6-foot-2, 202-pound safety has excellent size and is a sure tackler who takes strong angles to the ball. He’s also a solid blitzer (three sacks over the past two seasons) with decent ball skills (five interceptions over the past two seasons).
Holland is a flashier player. He’s known more for his coverage than his run-stopping ability, but he’s no slouch in the latter category, either. While he had a down year last season, he has produced five career interceptions and six career sacks through four campaigns. Holland is considered the likely top dog on the market at the position, so it’ll be interesting to see whether the Panthers chase him with cash. Holland turned 25 this week.
If the Panthers land Moehrig or Holland, look for them to also bring in a veteran depth player in free agency to compete with a returning special teams ace, like Franklin or Scott, to be the fourth safety. Names that fit that mold are Jason Pinnock of the New York Giants, Darrick Forrest of the Washington Commanders and Avonte Maddox of the Philadelphia Eagles.
From there, it’d be fair to expect the Panthers to go after a safety on Day 2 or in the fourth round of the draft in April.
Iowa’s Sebastian Castro, Penn State’s Kevin Winston Jr., and Ohio State’s Lathan Ransom all fit in that vacuum, according to the evaluators at Pro Football Focus.
The Panthers like Richardson a lot, but it doesn’t seem likely that they’ll just let him start next to an upgrade at the position. If Woods returns, look for him to start opposite the upgrade, and then the Panthers could have Richardson and a draft pick compete for the big nickel job.
A lot can happen between now and the draft, but an outcome like the one above seems reasonable and logical.
A young QB on the way?
Edmund on Bluesky asks: Any inclination that the Panthers could possibly take a QB in the mid-rounds?
Following the re-signing of Andy Dalton, this beat writer would be genuinely surprised to see the Panthers spend a second- or third-round pick on a QB. Really, selecting a QB before the fifth round would be surprising.
The Panthers do have three fifth-round picks, though, so it wouldn’t be a terrible idea to spend one of those selections on the most notable position in sports. There were quite a few impressive QB performances in all-star games this spring, and the Panthers investing in an heir apparent to Dalton might be smart business.
Ohio State’s Will Howard, Minnesota’s Max Brosmer, Missouri’s Brady Cook, Indiana’s Kurtis Rourke and Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard could be the notable Day 3 options at the position.
The Panthers need to feel like they can house a third QB on their 53-man roster to make a move at the position in the draft, so those prospects would need to be really liked for their intangibles and upside. While rare, some teams still do keep three QBs on their main roster. Most notably, the Super Bowl champions, the Eagles, always carry a trio — even when one is injured, they’ll keep a fourth on the practice squad.
The team still likes Jack Plummer, who will return this offseason. But giving him upgraded competition could appeal to the Panthers.
At worst, though, I’d expect the Panthers to bring in an undrafted rookie QB, like they did with Plummer last year, to OTAs in May.
