The Carolina Panthers are in a spot where a bold move starts to make real sense, even if the calendar says most teams would think twice. With the trade deadline still about a month away and the Eagles on deck soon, the idea of Philadelphia moving cornerback Kelee Ringo to Carolina would be rare.
It would also be risky for the Eagles. But for the Panthers, the need is immediate enough to push the issue.
That urgency comes from what happened in Week 3, when Carolina lost Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson to injuries. Neither is expected back any time soon, even though both are supposed to return before the season ends. Until then, the Panthers are stretched thin in the secondary.
They did beat the Detroit Lions in Week 4, but it was hardly clean work. Jared Goff passed for more than 400 yards, and Akayleb Evans was picked on repeatedly, spending about 200 yards worth of the game in coverage. That kind of exposure is exactly why Carolina cannot keep rolling out a weak spot every snap and hoping to survive it.
Ringo, who has mostly settled into a special teams role in Philadelphia, is the name CBS Sports’ Jordan Dajani put forward as a fit, and the logic is easy to see. “Kelee Ringo needs a change of scenery and is in the final year of his rookie deal. The former fourth-round pick out of Georgia has the physical makeup you want at 6-foot-2, 207 pounds,” Jordan Dajani wrote.
That profile fits what Carolina is trying to patch together. Ringo could serve as a short-term answer while the Panthers figure out who belongs at CB2 opposite Horn in 2027 and beyond. He also brings a similar build to Horn, with both corners standing out as big, strong defenders.
Dajani added, “He's started in just eight of 55 career games played with the Eagles, and he has played only on special teams this season. However, there are multiple teams out there that need cornerbacks right now to come in and contribute immediately.”
The Panthers are clearly one of them. Maybe the one most desperate for help.
They had what looked like the NFL’s best cornerback duo, and now both are out. That leaves Philadelphia, of all places, as a possible answer to a problem Carolina can’t afford to ignore.
In Other News...
Nick Sirianni's Latest Eagles Mistake Is Fueling A Bigger Debate
Nick Siriannis late-game decisions have become one of the more uncomfortable storylines around the Eagles, especially with the team off to a slow start and every situational miscue getting magnified. The latest round of criticism came after Philadelphias loss to Jacksonville, when the clock management at the end of the game again put Sirianni under the microscope and fed the broader conversation about how much of the blame belongs on the coach.
Colin Cowherd took that conversation a step further, arguing that the repeated mistakes go beyond one bad sequence and speak to how he views Siriannis standing in the league as a head coach. Sirianni, meanwhile, has pushed back on the idea that his late-game choice was as simple as preserving time, saying the situation did not allow the Eagles to just run out the clock, but the scrutiny only seems to be growing as the losses and the doubts pile up. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Losing Streak Could Force Howie Roseman Into A Tough Roster Call
The Eagles are at a point where the next few weeks could shape the rest of their season, and the pressure is not just on the field. With the club stuck in a three-game losing streak, Jeffrey Lurie and Howie Roseman are still operating with the kind of expectations that come with a roster built to contend, but a disappointing stretch could force the front office to look at the roster a little differently than it did a month ago.
If the slide continues, Philadelphia may have to weigh some uncomfortable trade possibilities as it tries to balance short-term survival with long-term roster value. Dallas Goedert sits near the center of that conversation, while Moro Ojomo, Riq Woolen, Landon Dickerson and Nolan Smith also belong on the list of names to monitor if Roseman decides the Eagles need a reset rather than a patch job. [Read more 🡒]
Jason Kelces New Eagles Role Is Already Dividing NFL Fans
Jason Kelces first turn in the booth for NFL Network came with plenty of attention before the Jaguars and Eagles even settled in for their London game, and it did not take long for viewers to start weighing in. Working alongside Dave Pasch and Kurt Warner in a three-man booth, Kelce brought a familiar Eagles perspective to the broadcast, which was enough for some fans to accuse him of leaning too heavily toward his former team.
Others saw it differently, arguing that Kelce sounded measured and added real insight to a game he knows as well as anyone. The reaction was predictable for a recently retired franchise icon stepping into television, especially with Philadelphia still close to his football life, and the network is expected to keep giving him chances later this season as he settles into the role. [Read more 🡒]