The Panthers need to get rid of players, and here’s who could be dealt

The Panthers are in deep, deep trouble. If that wasn’t already clear from their 1-4 start and firing of head coach Matt Rhule, the dire nature of the team’s future is turning heads around the NFL. The organization has an astonishing amount of money committed to their mediocre roster in 2023, which could lead to the Panthers becoming one of the most active teams at the trade deadline, scrapping key elements of their roster for parts in an effort to rebuild. The question becomes: Who could actually leave? Which teams could be interested? And how far is Carolina willing to go in order to correct their cap nightmare?

Carolina currently has over $235M committed to players in 2023, an estimated $11M over the projected salary cap. To make matters worse they only have 40 players currently, with projections taking them to a full 53-man roster pushing them to over $27M over the cap. There is no doubt tough decisions will need to be made, and the team’s desire to keep its best home-grown talent is certainly hurting. This isn’t really a case of players making wildly over what they deserve, but rather a case of there being simply too many big-money players at once,

If there’s one player fans around the league are salivating over it’s Moore, and rightfully so. The 25-year-old receiver hasn’t had a decent quarterback throwing him the ball since Cam Newton during his rookie season, and still managed to put together three-straight 1,000 yard seasons with the Panthers island of misfit quarterbacks since then.

Moore signed a three-year extension before the season began, keeping him in Carolina until 2025. That said, he’s without question the best player who could be available at the deadline — for the right price.

It’s that second clause that’s critical here, because the Panthers will not trade away Moore for peanuts. It’s going to take a first rounder and then some to even make Carolina consider dealing their top receiver, and even then it feels like a long shot. This team would sooner cut several players than take a bad deal for Moore, so any wistful imaginings of a playoff team getting a bargain can end right there.

Nobody is saying Moore is of the same caliber as Tyreek Hill or Davante Adams, but the Panthers view him that way. That’s how difficult it’s going to be to make a deal.

Teams who should be interested: Baltimore Ravens, Dallas Cowboys
Chance he’s traded: <10%

Everyone knows what McCaffrey brings to the table at this point. It’s been a bad year for him behind an offensive line that isn’t great at opening gaps, and yet he’s still on pace for over 1,700 yards from scrimmage. When healthy he’s one of the best backs in the league, and could be dealt because of his cap figure.

McCaffrey is only 26-years-old, has plenty left in the tank, and this is a season where some of the best teams in the league have major gaps at running back. The Panthers are in an awkward position where they’d love to integrate him into any rebuild, but with presumably a rookie quarterback in 2023 the offense could be finally getting back to a point where they can compete at the same time McCaffrey begins to slow down.

Teams who should be interested: Buffalo Bills, Los Angeles Rams, Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens
Chance he’s traded: 40%

Burns is one of the most talented defensive players in the NFL, and he’s been perennially unnoticed because of how bad Carolina is. A strong, athletic, and smart pass rusher, Burns has recorded 29.5 sacks since entering the league in 2019, and is on pace for 13.5 this season — all while playing out of position.

The truth is, he’s managed to do incredible things with his hand in the dirt in the Panthers 4-3, but as a stand up edge rusher in a 3-4 defense he could become one of the most fearsome defensive players in the NFL. Any team in need of pass rush help would love to find a way to bring him on board.

The Panthers love Burns, and view him as a franchise cornerstone — but this is an extraordinary situation that could see him get traded.

Teams who should be interested: Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, Kansas City Chiefs
Chance he’s traded: 20%

Thompson’s impact isn’t one that can be quantified on a stat sheet, but people around the league knows what he brings to the table. Thompson continues a Carolina linebacker tradition of smart, do-everything players who can lead a defense from the box.

That also makes for a weird trade market here. Most teams have their leadership base set, and 4-3 linebacker is a deemphasized position in the league right now. Still, for a young team with playoff aspirations he could be a missing piece.

It’s absolutely a buyer’s market on Thompson, which is why he could still be dealt despite not playing a true impact position.

Teams who should be interested: Arizona Cardinals, New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins
Chance he’s traded: 30%

This isn’t a very flashy player to talk about, but he’s easily the most likely candidate to get dealt. Anderson is a high-tier No. 2 receiver for a team in need of more help, and the Panthers have zero need at this point.

Anderson is under contract until the end of 2023, but most of his money came this year — making his cap figure fairly manageable. Also, importantly, he could likely re-sign with a team on a manageable deal if he finds success, rather than expecting a $100M+ deal like more top receivers are getting.

When the only price would be a mid-late round pick it would be foolish for a WR needy team not to kick the tires.

Teams who should be interested: Baltimore Ravens, Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers
Chance he’s traded: 80%