NFL trade deadline: Panthers could move on from $20 million defensive lineman

Albert Breer at Sports Illustrated includes Jadeveon Clowney on his list of edge rushers who may get traded.

Tim Weaver | 4 Hours Ago

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - SEPTEMBER 15: Jadeveon Clowney #7 of the Carolina Panthers and Bud Dupree #48 of the Los Angeles Chargers embrace after a game at Bank of America Stadium on September 15, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Chargers defeated the Panthers 26-3. / (Kara Durrette/Getty Images)

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Carolina Panthers

By now Carolina Panthers fans should be familiar with most of the trade-bait pieces that are on the roster going into the 2024 NFL trade deadline. The usual names that have been discussed ad infinitum over the last few weeks include Bryce Young, Diontae Johnson and Miles Sanders.

However, there are a couple of surprise names that have surfaced over the last few days who might get dealt at the deadline. That includes their best defender, star cornerback Jaycee Horn, who's playing out the final year of his rookie contract. Apparently we can include defensive end Jadeveon Clowney as well on the list of players who might get traded. Here's what Albert Breer at Sports Illustrated shared about Clowney.

SI on Jadeveon Clowney

"And with a lot of teams needing pass-rush help, and assuming his health improves over the next week, I’d throw Jadeveon Clowney in there with guys such as the Cleveland Browns’ Za’Darius Smith and the Green Bay Packers’ Preston Smith who could be moved."

The Panthers already have perhaps the worst edge rotation in the NFL right now, and trading away Clowney isn't going to make it better. However, Clowney has not performed well this season -certainly not well enough to justify the two-year, $20 million deal he signed with Carolina back in March. If the Panthers can get another team to take on that contract they have to at least consider it, no matter what it does to their practically non-existent pass rush.

The team that comes to mind first as far as potential trade partners goes is the Seattle Seahawks, who had Clowney on their roster back in 2019. Clowney also had a resurgent year last season playing under Seattle's new head coach Mike Macdonald, who was the Baltimore Ravens' defensive coordinator in 2023 when Clowney tied his career high with 9.5 sacks.