NFC South rival's star defender named surprise trade target for Carolina Panthers

The Panthers could make a big move for Demario Davis.
Sep 18, 2023; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis (56) chases Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) during the second half at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
Sep 18, 2023; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis (56) chases Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) during the second half at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
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The Carolina Panthers desperately need help on defense. Their unit gave up the most points in NFL history last year and was easily the worst run-defense seen in a very long time. The problem is, the Panthers have less than $25 million in cap space. They can't go out and spend big on free agents on that side of the ball.

This should force them to do two things. First, they'll need to spend a lot of draft capital on defense. Second, they might have to get creative with trades for defenders. That's what ClutchPoints' Jaren Kawada believes they'll do by poaching rival defender Demario Davis.

Panthers predicted to snag rival defender

The Carolina Panthers probably need some help in the middle of their defense. Josey Jewell, last year's big linebacker addition, was decent at best. Trevin Wallace, a rookie, was also decent. Shaq Thompson is likely gone, and there are no other interior linebackers on the roster.

That may be why they need Demario Davis from the New Orleans Saints. "Without Shaq Thompson in 2024, the Panthers' linebacker corps was easily the worst in the league. Safety Xavier Woods led the team with 119 tackles on the year as no linebacker reached the century mark. Josey Jewell came the closest, notching 97 stops in 12 games," Kawada said.

He continued, "The Saints are reportedly considering moving both Derek Carr and Alvin Kamara in the offseason, making a full-blown rebuild well within reason. If that is the case, Davis and his $12 million cap hit would be among the first assets that Mickey Loomis will look to move." This won't be a cheap move, but it's one the Panthers desperately need to make in Kawada's eyes to revamp the middle of their defense.

Suddenly, a duo of Jewell and Davis with Wallace in support doesn't look so bad. It's certainly a marked improvement over guys like Claudin Cherilus and Jacoby Windmon.

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Zach Roberts
ZACH ROBERTS

Zachary is a graduate of Southern Adventist University. He earned a degree in Mass Communication with an emphasis in Writing and Editing. He has covered sports, video games, entertainment and is a lifelong Carolina Panthers fan.