10 wide receivers for the Panthers before the trade deadline
It has been reported that despite being 0-4 after four weeks, the Carolina Panthers still have a buyer at the trade deadline. And there are several reasons for this. The first is that the Panthers won’t have their first rounder next year anyway, so tanking isn’t a smart choice. Plus, the idea of buying a better wide receiver has long-term aspects: It’s a way to give rookie quarterback Bryce Young more opportunities to succeed.
The trade deadline is still four weeks away, but there’s already a good picture of who might be available and what the Panthers’ options are. So let’s analyze ten possible targets for CEO Scott Fitterer.
PS.: The salary numbers take into account a situation where the Panthers acquire a player at the trade deadline, not before.
Long term options:
Do Higgins
Lip: $1.66 million in 2023
Higgins is the most predictable and obvious choice, but that doesn’t mean it’s an easy one to make. He is still very young at 24 and the Cincinnati Bengals have shown no interest in moving him. However, the Bengals have had a torrid season and Higgins is in the final year of his rookie contract. Cincinnati recently extended Joe Burrow, and lineman Ja’Marr Chase will soon receive his new contract. Unless they think paying two young wide receivers is the ideal approach to the lineup, the Panthers should be around him. Another thing: Would the Bengals want to make a deal without a 2024 first-round pick? In that case, the Panthers may be forced to take Brian Burns or several future high picks. If the Bengals want to keep both Chase and Higgins, that opens the door to another option: Tyler Boyd. He wouldn’t solve the Panthers’ problems, but it would be another solid weapon for Young.
Jerry Jewdy
Lip: $1.49 million in 2023, $12.99 million in 2024
The Denver Broncos have considered trading Jeudy since last year, but no one seems willing to meet his demands. If Price goes down after a disappointing start to the season under Sean Payton, the Panthers have a chance to make a deal. Jeudy hasn’t quite lived up to his pre-draft hype, but his situation in Denver has always been chaotic. Last year, despite Russell Wilson’s terrible offense, he still had over 1,000 rushing yards and six touchdowns. He’s also 24 years old, so this is a long-term pick for Carolina.
Darnell Mooney
Lip: $1.66 million in 2023
In theory, the Bruins wouldn’t want to trade an offensive weapon, but in reality, they face another complete overhaul that includes trading quarterback Justin Fields next season. And if that’s the case, manager Ryan Poles may decide it’s better to add even more capital to tweak the roster now that Mooney is in the final year of his rookie contract. He would be a decent short-term option for the Panthers, and they could also extend him for an extended period as a secondary power forward.
Rashod Bateman
Lip: $1 million in 2023, $2.38 million in 2024
Like Jeudy, Bateman was not what most experts thought he would be. He now sits behind Zay Flowers and Odell Beckham on the Baltimore Ravens depth chart. So if the compensation is right, the Ravens could see it makes sense to move on. Bateman is a solid option for the Panthers as he is under contract through 2024 and still has a five-year option through 2025, which may or may not be exercised after this season.
Hollywood Brown
Lipo: $7.45 million
Brown had already been traded from the Baltimore Ravens to the Arizona Cardinals during his NFL career. His tenure in Phoenix has been pretty successful, to be honest, but the Cardinals are in the first year of a rebuild — and maybe next year will be the first year. New general manager Monti Ossenfort is a smart negotiator, and if he thinks the Browns aren’t a good fit for the future, the trade is worth it. It’s a more expensive option for the Panthers through 2023 because Brown is playing with a five-year option and they would have to find a new deal after this season.
Older players:
Giving Adams
Cap: $3.63 million in 2023, $17.5 million in 2024 ($16.89 million guaranteed), $36.25 million in 2025 and 2026 (non-guaranteed)
Adams expressed his displeasure with the way the Las Vegas Raiders are being run, saying he doesn’t have time to wait. The Panthers aren’t exactly in win-now mode, but a player of this caliber could really change Bryce Young’s season and the entire offense. The idea of trading Adams a year and a half after signing him isn’t ideal for the Raiders, but they’re bad and cap space could be the right move. DeAndre Hopkins
Lipo: $947,000 in 2023, $14 million in 2024
Hopkins signed with the Tennessee Titans to give them a clear WR1. It’s understandable, but the titans aren’t that good anyway. If they decide within the next month that the team doesn’t have what it takes to compete in the AFC, a trade could happen. The good news for the Panthers in this scenario is that Hopkins is under contract through 2024.
Mike Evans
Lip: $7.22 million
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been better than expected, so that could make things difficult. But the two sides couldn’t find a long-term commitment, so the veteran adjuster could be replaced. An inter-division deal is never a likely scenario, but we’ve seen crazier things in the NFL.
Forgotten pieces:
Hunter Renfrow
Cap: $3.61 million in 2023, $11.88 million in 2024 (non-guaranteed)
Renfrow was a solid piece for the Raiders under Jon Gruden, but has been an afterthought since Josh McDaniels took over. And it’s really weird when you think about how
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