If the Carolina Panthers don’t have much use for quarterback Bryce Young and running back Miles Sanders at the moment, then maybe they can find a few teams who would.
That’s what ESPN staff writer Bill Barnwell has just pitched, as he proposed 12 win-win trade deadline scenarios in a new article on Thursday. Among the 12 are two deals for the Panthers, one of which sends Young to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for a conditional 2026 fourth-round draft pick.
Barnwell writes:
The Panthers can say they still see Young as their quarterback of the future and that they have no intention of trading the 2023 first overall pick, but actions speak louder than words. Benching a quarterback of the future two games into his second season suggests Carolina doesn’t see Young in the same way as it did as recently as this summer. The franchise likely will be back in the quarterback market next spring, and while it could hold onto Young, it might want a veteran backup (like Andy Dalton) for their next starter.
Young was benched at the beginning of Week 3, after throwing for zero touchdowns and three interceptions while leading the Panthers to just 13 points and an 0-2 record. Since turning to Dalton, Carolina has averaged 22.5 points per game and has converted on 40.8 percent of their third-down attempts.
The conditional pick in this proposal would upgrade to a third-rounder if Young throws for 1,500 yards in 2025 or a second-rounder if he throws for 3,000 yards.
Next is Sanders, who could fit with the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs if he’s eventually phased out in Carolina:
Sending a seventh-round pick to the Panthers would add another back with an uncertain ceiling to the rotation, but none of the backs on the Kansas City roster should be considered as guarantees to keep their role. Sanders has a higher ceiling than any guy the Chiefs have, and with experience playing under Doug Pederson earlier in his career, he should have a bit of a handle on Andy Reid’s offense. Once Pacheco returns, Sanders could play in the Jerick McKinnon role as a change-of-pace back. The Chiefs would make this pick swap only with the Panthers if Sanders plays one offensive snap for them in the postseason, leaving this as a relatively risk-free deal.
With Chuba Hubbard thriving in the lead role, Sanders has been regulated to just 30 carries over six games. He may see even less work at some point, as the team opened the practice window for 2024 second-round pick Jonathon Brooks on Wednesday.
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