Panthers could potentially move former first-round pick at NFL trade deadline

The Carolina Panthers could clean house at the NFL Trade Deadline. One NFL insider thinks a former first-round pick could be among those sent elsewhere.

The Carolina Panthers are one of the worst teams in the NFL this year, and they probably should clean house at the Trade Deadline. Last year, they didn't make very many moves to recoup assets, and it's clear that they should if possible this time around. That may include some high-profile names, including a former first-round pick.

Panthers could move on from 2021 first-round selection

Jaycee Horn has not been able to stay healthy for much of his NFL career. When he's been on the field, he has been one of the best cover corners in the league. This season, he's remained healthy, and it might net him a trade elsewhere. NFL insider Connor Orr says that Diontae Johnson, Adam Thielen, and Jonathan Mingo are names everyone's looking at, but that Horn could easily be moved.

The 2021 top-10 selection is entering the final year of his rookie contract. He has, by and large, been the only useful player on the Panthers defense this year. That's not to say he's been great, since the Panthers have no pass rush and Horn can only cover for so long, but he's the last impactful player left standing.

"Horn could bloom with more talented players around him and Ejiro Evero, his defensive coordinator, has a lot of respect (and copycats) around the league. My guess is that there are teams out there with similar setups schematically to make him comfortable right away. "

- Connor Orr

Given that he is a former top-10 pick without the struggles or baggage of someone like Bryce Young, the Panthers would presumably get the biggest haul for Horn out of anyone. However, that would leave their defense, which could end up as a historically bad unit, without one more playmaker, and it's unclear if they want to gut one side of the ball that much.

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