Panthers predicted to make blockbuster draft trade for 23-sack generational talent

The Carolina Panthers are still in need of some help along the edge, which makes them a candidate to draft a pass-rusher in the 2025 NFL draft.

Carolina Panthers general manager Dan Morgan. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Carolina Panthers have done a good job addressing some of their many needs during the 2025 offseason, but the team could still use more help along the edge. The Panthers currently have a solid trio along the edge in DJ Wonnum, Patrick Jones II and Jadeveon Clowney, but both Clowney and Wonnum are entering the final year of their respective contracts.

So, not only could Carolina use more depth, the team also needs a long-term starter at one of the most important positions in the NFL. With that in mind, Newsweek's Seth Quinn predicts the Panthers will make a blockbuster trade up in the 2025 NFL draft to get in position to draft Penn State's Abdul Carter.

In this scenario, the Tennessee Titans move back twice, with their second trade coming with the Panthers, who move up to No. 3.

"The Titans perform a double trade down from the top spot to gain a treasure trove of draft capital," Quinn wrote. "The Panthers trade up from eight to grab the elite pass rusher they desperately need in Carter."

Not only is Carter considered the best edge rusher in this year's draft, he's also widely thought of as the best player overall.

Feb 27, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Penn State defensive lineman Abdul Carter (DL44) during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Carter showed superstar potential during his days with Penn State, where he notched 23 sacks over three years, including a personal-best 12 in 2024. He also added over 50 pressures, and his 78.2 run defense grade shows he can impact that area, also.

"Overall, Carter’s blend of production at multiple levels within a defense showcases an elite prospect," The Draft Network's Ryan Fowler wrote. "Carter’s instincts and playmaking ability in multiple facets set the stage for a highly intriguing chess piece that can play all over a front seven, with projectable traits that could see him evolve into an All-Pro type of defender."

Carter is as close to a can't-miss prospect as there is in this draft and adding him to the defense as a long-term running mate with Derrick Brown would elevate the unit, both in 2025 and for the long haul.

If the Panthers can get themselves in position to to nab Carter via trade, they absolutely should pull the trigger on such a deal.

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