The Panthers are 3-2, and I'm still getting used to saying this, but the trade deadline actually matters in Carolina this year.
I'm not saying Dan Morgan should suddenly start throwing draft picks around because the Panthers have won three games. This team isn't one move away from a Super Bowl, and there are still plenty of areas that need work. But Carolina is right in the NFC South race, and if there's a chance to add somebody who can help without giving up a premium pick, Morgan should be on the phone.
That's what I'm looking for here. Forget the blockbuster trades that sound great until you see the price. Give me players who can help this team right now without giving away something Carolina might regret later.
Donte Jackson, CB, Los Angeles Chargers
We've seen Donte Jackson in Carolina before, and normally I'm not big on bringing guys back just because they're familiar. This one is a little different.
Jackson spent six seasons with the Panthers after Carolina drafted him in the second round in 2018, and he played his final year here in Ejiro Evero's defense. More importantly, the Panthers could use another corner. Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson are both on injured reserve, and Carolina has already had to reach pretty far down the depth chart.
Jackson is also on a Chargers team that has started 0-6. There's no guarantee Los Angeles moves him, but he's exactly the type of veteran I'd ask about if the Chargers decide to start selling.
I'm not giving up anything crazy to make the reunion happen, but a Day 3 pick for a veteran corner who already knows Evero and has starting experience? I can talk myself into that pretty quickly.
Khalil Mack, EDGE, Los Angeles Chargers
This is obviously the name everybody is going to stop on. Mack is 35 years old, so we're not talking about the guy who was terrorizing quarterbacks in Oakland and Chicago, but let's not act like he can't still get after the quarterback.
He has three sacks through six games and is playing on a one-year deal for a Chargers team that couldn't have imagined being 0-6 at this point. Mack has said he's still chasing a ring in Los Angeles, so there's no guarantee the Chargers are even willing to move him.
I'd still make the call because Carolina has had stretches this season where the pass rush has gotten home and others where the quarterback has had way too much time. Mack wouldn't have to come here and save the defense. He'd just have to make the rotation better.
The price decides everything for me. I'm not giving Los Angeles a second-round pick for a 35-year-old rental, and a third would make me nervous, too. If the conversation starts with one of Carolina's Day 3 picks, though, now you've got my attention.
Solomon Thomas, DL, Tennessee Titans
This one isn't nearly as exciting as Mack, but not every deadline move has to be.
Thomas has settled into more of a rotational role at this point in his career, and that's probably what he'd be in Carolina. The Panthers don't need him to suddenly turn back into the player San Francisco thought it was getting with the No. 3 pick in 2017. They just need another experienced body up front.
We've already seen injuries test this roster, and getting Tershawn Wharton back doesn't mean Morgan should stop looking for help. Thomas gives Carolina another defensive lineman it could rotate in without asking him to be something he's not.
If Tennessee is willing to move him for a late pick, I'd be fine with it. Nobody is going to spend all day talking about the trade on ESPN, but you might be glad you made it when you're trying to get through November and December.
Tyrone Tracy Jr., RB, New York Giants
I know what some of you are probably thinking after watching Chuba Hubbard run for 120 yards against Philadelphia. Why in the world are we talking about another running back?
We're not talking about replacing Hubbard. I've already written about what Hubbard gives this offense, and Sunday was another example. He got stronger as the game went along, finished with 28 carries and helped Carolina put Philadelphia away in the second half.
This one would also require New York to be willing to listen. The Giants just released Najee Harris, and Tracy scored twice against New Orleans, so they may decide they need him more than they did a few weeks ago.
I'd still ask. Tracy has rushed for more than 1,600 yards over his first three seasons and can help in the passing game and on special teams. That would give Carolina another option behind Hubbard without needing to change what it's doing with its starter.
I'm not giving up much for a running back when Hubbard is already here. If the Giants are willing to talk about a late pick, though, it's worth a phone call.
Jauan Jennings, WR, Minnesota Vikings
This is probably the one I'm most torn on because I really like what Carolina already has with Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker.
We finally got to see those two together against Philadelphia, and it looked pretty good. Coker came back with 97 yards while McMillan finished with 86, giving Bryce Young two receivers who can make defenses pay instead of asking McMillan to do everything.
I still wouldn't mind adding Jennings. He's physical, he'll block and he's shown he can be productive when he's given opportunities. Jennings had 975 receiving yards in 2024 and nine touchdowns last season in San Francisco, but he has just two catches through four games with Minnesota this year.
With Xavier Legette on injured reserve, adding another veteran would also give Carolina some insurance instead of assuming everybody is going to stay healthy the rest of the way.
This isn't a move I'm forcing. If Minnesota wants something significant, I'm out. If the price gets low enough that Morgan can add another useful receiver without touching an important pick, then it becomes a much more interesting conversation.
Morgan can buy without going all-in
That's really where I land on all of this. Carolina being 3-2 changes the conversation, but it shouldn't change the plan.
The Panthers have spent too long trying to build this thing back up to start giving away premium picks the second they get a little success. They just went into Philadelphia and won 25-14 despite committing 13 penalties for 149 yards, which tells me two things: They're good enough to be in this race, and they're still a long way from being a finished product.
So keep the first- and second-round picks, and I'd rather keep the third, too. But if Morgan can use one of those later picks to add a veteran who makes this team better for the second half of the season, go for it.
The Panthers haven't had many trade deadlines lately where buying actually made sense. This year, it does.
Just don't get crazy, Dan.
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