NFL teams typically don't trade players to teams right before they play them, especially when the trade deadline is about a month away. There is no urgency for one team to give up a player who could immediately hurt them on the other side.
That said, the Carolina Panthers are desperate, and they could call up the Philadelphia Eagles this week and trade for cornerback Kelee Ringo, who has largely become a special teams player.
The Eagles would be taking a risk by giving up a player with intimate knowledge right before a huge NFC battle. But the Panthers need help as soon as possible, which could reflect an increase in the price.
Regardless, CBS Sports' Jordan Dajani pitched the Panthers as an ideal landing spot for Ringo, and he's spot on.
Kelee Ringo to the Panthers? It's a really good fit
The Panthers lost Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson to injuries in Week 3. Neither is going to be back any time soon, though both are expected to return before the season is over. In the meantime, things are bad.
The Panthers may have beat the Detroit Lions in Week 4, but they were honestly lucky. Jared Goff tossed for over 400 yards, and Akayleb Evans was in coverage for about 200 of them. It was abuse at the highest level.
The Panthers won't face the Lions, arguably the NFL's best offense, again, but they can't afford to have a walking mismatch in coverage on every single snap. They need some sort of reinforcement. Enter, perhaps, Kelee Ringo.
Now, as mentioned, the Eagles might be very hesitant to do a deal now, but the fit makes too much sense to ignore.
"Kelee Ringo needs a change of scenery and is in the final year of his rookie deal. The former fourth-round pick out of Georgia has the physical makeup you want at 6-foot-2, 207 pounds," Jordan Dajani wrote.
That makes him the ideal short-term replacement while Carolina navigates who should be its CB2 opposite Horn in 2027 and beyond. Plus, physically, Ringo is similar to Horn. They're both big, strong corners.
Dajani continued, "He's started in just eight of 55 career games played with the Eagles, and he has played only on special teams this season. However, there are multiple teams out there that need cornerbacks right now to come in and contribute immediately."
The Panthers are one of those teams. In fact, they might be the team most in need. The Panthers had arguably the best cornerback duo in the NFL, and both of them are out. It's an unfathomable situation, but the Eagles just might hold the answer.
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