The Carolina Panthers’ training camp took a hard turn when outside linebacker Nic Scourton went down with a torn ACL, and that kind of loss can force a team to start looking around the league for help.
That’s where the Denver Broncos could enter the picture.
Denver has loaded up at edge rusher under general manager George Paton, and the numbers alone suggest there may not be room for everyone. The Broncos’ group includes Nik Bonitto, Jonathon Cooper, Jonah Elliss, Dondrea Tillman, Que Robinson, Drew Sanders, Johnny Walker Jr. and Dasan McCullough. With that kind of depth, a trade is at least a possibility if camp and preseason shake out the right way.
For Carolina, the timing is rough. Dan Morgan has already been active on defense this offseason, bringing in veteran pass rusher Jaelan Phillips and inside linebacker Devin Lloyd. That push came after the Panthers won the NFC South last season and are trying to build on an 8-9 finish, not just repeat as division champs.
Scourton was supposed to be part of that next step. Losing a second-round pick that early in camp leaves a hole, and it could push the Panthers to see whether another team has a young edge defender available.
The Broncos would not be obligated to do anything, of course. But if they get through camp and preseason healthy on the edge, they may decide to keep one of their younger rushers - Sanders, Walker or McCullough - on the 53-man roster and explore a deal from the surplus.
There is one important wrinkle: any move involving Cooper would likely depend on his legal situation being resolved with both the team and the league. Right now, that remains unsettled.
Even with that uncertainty, Denver still has enough depth to make this a situation worth watching. If players like Walker and McCullough continue to emerge, the Broncos could have more than enough to consider moving one.
And Carolina has one more factor working in its favor. Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero is an old friend, and his familiarity with Denver’s players and scheme could make the Panthers a natural team to call if they decide they need reinforcements.
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