The Carolina Panthers are expected to be interested in a handful of this year’s top free-agent wide receivers, even if a few of them aren’t technically free-agent wide receivers anymore.
ESPN NFL insiders Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano emptied their notebooks ahead of tomorrow’s opening of the legal tampering period. Grazino writes the following of the Panthers, who might be willing to wheel and deal to find some quality help for quarterback Bryce Young:
The Panthers are on the hunt for a No. 1 wide receiver, so if — and I say if — Tee Higgins or Michael Pittman Jr. ends up available in a trade, they’d likely be involved. I expect them to at least look into Ridley as well, should he hit the market.
Both Higgins and Pittman Jr., who entered the offseason ticketed for free agency, were both saddled with the franchise tag from their respective squads. If, however, those teams are unable to come to long-term pacts with their pass catchers, then the Panthers could be on the latter end of a tag-and-trade scenario.
Ridley, on the other hand, is about to hit the open market this week. As part of their deal to acquire him back in 2022, the Jacksonville Jaguars sent a conditional pick to the Atlanta Falcons—one that could become a second-rounder if he re-signs in Duval.
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