The Carolina Panthers – for all their faults – have been competitive in every game they’ve played this season. If they can get healthy and their luck improves, there’s still an outside chance they could compete for a wild card spot in December.
They’ll have to make some changes to get there, though. First priority right now should be adding a defensive playmaker who can help make up for the group’s inexperience and lack of depth. Their options are dwindling fast, though. Teams have already made multiple deals over the last couple of days, with several coming in the last couple of hours.
Initially, we laid out six potential trade targets for the Panthers:
Eagles TE Zach Ertz
Jets DL Quinnen Williams
49ers LB Kwon Alexander
Cowboys DE Everson Griffen
Jets LB Avery Williamson
Patriots CB Stephon Gilmore
Several of these options (plus DB Desmond King) are already off the table. San Francisco just traded Alexander to the Saints, giving Demario Davis the partner he needed in the middle of a floundering New Orleans defense. Williamson is also no longer an option. On Sunday night the Jets dealt him and a seventh-round pick to the Steelers for just a fifth-rounder in return. On Friday, Griffen was dealt to the Lions for a conditional sixth-rounder.
Ertz is still technically a possibility, but he’s out with a high-ankle sprain and won’t be back for several more weeks. The Eagles were reportedly open to dealing him before the injury, though. As for Gilmore and the Patriots, they are reportedly not interested in being sellers.
For what it’s worth, Williams would still make an excellent addition to this Carolina team, significantly improving their run defense and pass rush at the same time. He is just 23 years old and has two more seasons on his contract after this one.
The trade deadline is at 4:00 p.m. ET tomorrow.
