The Carolina Panthers didn’t make a splash at the NFL trade deadline, and that quiet approach came with a middling grade.
After the deadline passed, CBS Sports’ Zachary Pereles handed Carolina a “C-” for choosing to stand pat rather than add help for the stretch run. The Panthers are 3-5 entering Week 10, yet somehow sit in first place in the NFC South. In a division where all four teams have three wins, the race is still wide open.
That kind of setup usually invites at least a little deadline activity, but Carolina stayed on the sidelines. The only team in the division to make a move was the Atlanta Falcons, who sent veteran safety Jessie Bates to the Jacksonville Jaguars for draft picks. Atlanta’s thinking was clear: keep competing, but also give itself room to rebuild.
Carolina, meanwhile, was tied to a few possibilities without ever really jumping in. There were reports that teams had interest in veteran defensive tackle Derrick Brown, though the Panthers were not shopping him. They were also linked to pass rusher Will McDonald IV, but he remained with the Jets.
Pereles pointed to cornerback and offensive line as spots where the Panthers could have used reinforcements. Injuries have piled up on both fronts, including to starting defensive backs Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson. The offensive line has also taken hits, with several starters going down.
He also noted that this is a very winnable NFC South, which makes Carolina’s decision to do nothing a little more noticeable. Still, the Panthers haven’t exactly made a habit of in-season trades. They haven’t acquired a player via trade during the season since 2021, so this wasn’t a major surprise.
For now, Carolina appears content with what it has, especially with Horn and Jackson expected back soon enough. Whether that patience pays off will show up in the standings, and the next test comes Sunday against New Orleans.
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Panthers Just Sent A Clear Message In This NFC South Race
The NFC South has become a strange race of attrition, with all four teams sitting below .500 and the Panthers right in the middle of it at 3-5. While New Orleans, Tampa Bay and Atlanta have all made moves in recent days, Carolina has stayed put, even with injuries piling up around the roster and an important stretch of the schedule still ahead.
For a team that is still very much alive in the division picture, the quiet approach says plenty about how Carolina views the next few weeks. The Panthers are preparing to face the Saints in an upcoming game, and with the standings this tight, every decision carries extra weight. The lack of a trade is its own message, one that leaves the focus on the current group and on whether it can seize an opening in a division no one has managed to separate from yet. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Face A Bigger Derrick Brown Debate After Eagles Trade
The Eagles decision to move Jordan Davis to Jacksonville for a future first-round pick and a second-rounder only sharpens the conversation around what Carolina did, and did not, do before the trade deadline. There were trade inquiries on Derrick Brown, but the Panthers held onto one of the most important pieces of their defense, a choice that reflected both his value and the reality of where this roster stands.
Browns situation now looks even more interesting in the wake of that deal. Philadelphia turned a young defensive tackle into draft capital, while Carolina kept its own interior anchor despite the kind of salary-cap and team-building pressure that can make a move tempting. The Panthers clearly viewed Brown as more than a trade chip, but the contrast with the Eagles approach leaves open a bigger question about how Carolina plans to balance immediate needs against long-term flexibility. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Loss To Denver Still Gave Bryce Young Fans Real Hope
The loss to Denver still had a strange aftertaste for Carolina, especially with the officiating drawing plenty of attention, but it also offered a clearer look at why Bryce Youngs progress has started to feel real. Young threw for 276 yards and three touchdowns, and the Panthers found enough rhythm on offense to make the game feel competitive in a way that has not always been the case for this team.
There were other encouraging signs tucked into the result, too, including a sturdier run defense and useful contributions from players such as Darren Waller and Tetairoa McMillan. Even with injury concerns still hanging over the roster, Carolina has at least given itself something to build on, and the next stretch will be about whether those flashes can hold up if more pieces start coming back. [Read more 🡒]