The Panthers are staring at a cornerback problem they need to fix fast, and the trade market may be their clearest path. With Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson both on injured reserve and Carolina’s grip on the NFC South starting to loosen, help at the position has become a real priority before the deadline.
ESPN has already connected Carolina to two possible answers. The first is Philadelphia corner Riq Woolen, who joined the Eagles on a one-year deal after winning a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks last season. ESPN pegs him as a player with a 35-percent chance of being dealt, and senior NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler said:
When I talk to rival teams about which players Philly might move, Woolen's name comes up fairly often. He's a high-upside corner and 2027 free agent whose $1.26 million base salary could help facilitate a trade (much of his $12 million in guarantees came via signing or restructured bonuses).
The other name on the list is former Panthers cornerback Donte Jackson, now with the Los Angeles Chargers. Fowler wrote:
Corner is a position of need for several teams, and the Chargers likely could get a draft pick for Jackson. The 30-year-old has ball production and a reasonable contract -- a $6 million base salary. Plus, he is set to hit free agency in March.
Both players would give Carolina some badly needed help in a shorthanded secondary. Still, Woolen stands out as the better fit on paper. He’s younger, longer, more athletic and carries a higher ceiling than Jackson.
That doesn’t mean Woolen comes without risk. He’s been benched more than once in his career, by both Pete Carroll and Mike Macdonald, with effort in space and tackling cited as the main issues. Even so, his coverage profile remains strong overall, and his upside is obvious.
If Carolina can land Woolen for a fourth-round pick, that would make sense. As for Jackson, the price shouldn’t climb past a sixth-rounder.
In Other News...
Panthers Secondary Just Took Another Hit Before Jordan Love Test
The Panthers secondary took another blow this week when Akayleb Evans was placed on injured reserve with knee and triceps injuries, knocking him out for Sundays matchup with the Packers. Evans had stepped into a starting role over the last three games, giving Carolina some needed stability in a back end that has already been stretched thin by injuries to Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson.
Now the Panthers are heading into Week 8 with even less margin for error against Green Bay and quarterback Jordan Love, who has been productive through the air this season. For a defense already trying to patch together its coverage plan, losing another corner only adds to the pressure to find answers quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Secondary Suddenly Faces A Brutal Test In Green Bay
With the Panthers heading into Thursday nights game in Green Bay, the secondary has been thinned to the point where roster depth is now part of the weekly game plan. Carolina is elevating veteran cornerback Marco Wilson from the practice squad as the injuries continue to pile up, leaving the team with just two healthy cornerbacks on the active roster.
Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson are on injured reserve, while Akayleb Evans is sidelined with injuries, and the challenge does not stop there. The Panthers will also be without pass rusher Jaelan Phillips and left guard Damien Lewis, adding more pressure to a short-handed group that is about to be tested under the lights against the Packers. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Have Something To Prove After That Tampa Bay Collapse
The Panthers are back on a short week, and the timing could not be much better for a team still trying to shake off the damage from its collapse against Tampa Bay. Carolina heads into its matchup with the Green Bay Packers preparing for its second game in five days, with Green Bay set to be without three starters. Even so, the Panthers enter the week with little margin for error and a lot to prove after a performance that raised fresh questions about where this team stands.
Carolina opened the week as a slight underdog, and the betting line has not moved, a sign that oddsmakers are waiting to see whether the Panthers can respond rather than reward them for the matchup on paper. The question now is less about what Green Bay is missing and more about whether Carolina can show the kind of consistency it failed to display last time out. For a team searching for traction, this game offers a chance to steady the week, but only if the Panthers play like the more urgent side from the start. [Read more 🡒]