Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
Panthers OLB DJ Johnson may have quite an opportunity ahead of him in tonight’s showdown with the Bears.
After an uplifting victory in Week 8, the Carolina Panthers fell back down to Earth upon a brutal loss to the Indianapolis Colts this past Sunday. So, how can they get back in the win column against the Chicago Bears tonight?
Here are four key matchups that could put the Panthers on top of this Thursday night clash:
The “lack of an appetite” from the NFL’s contenders may have contributed to the Panthers’ inactivity at the trade deadline.
There may have been no demand for the Carolina Panthers’ supply.
This year’s trade deadline came and went without a peep from general manager Scott Fitterer and company, as the Panthers stood pat and did not make a deal. And that, according to Sports Illustrated senior NFL reporter Albert Breer, that may have been a result of a cold market.
He wrote on Tuesday evening:
Silence from New England, Carolina and Denver reflects, to me, a very short supply of buyers this year. I’ll dig this week into why it played out that way, because there were opportunities out there for teams that wanted to take a swing or two. In the end, there simply wasn’t a great appetite on the part of contenders to pick up the bat.
Breer also reported, nearly three weeks back, that the Panthers were listening to offers on a handful of players. That group included wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr., cornerback Donte Jackson, safety Jeremy Chinn and, to a much more complicated degree, outside linebacker Brian Burns.
But, unlike last year, the buyers weren’t buying what Carolina may have been selling.
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Here are the Panthers’ statistical leaders heading into Week 9:
The Carolina Panthers finally got themselves the number that matters most this past Sunday, topping the Houston Texans for their very first win of the 2023 season. So, maybe the other numbers we’re about to show you look a bit sweeter than usual.
Here are the team’s statistical leaders heading into Week 9:
NFL Network insider Mike Garofolo: Unless something changes, sounds like it’s gonna be a quiet deadline day in Carolina.
Well, maybe something hasn’t come up for general manager Scott Fitterer, head coach Frank Reich and the Carolina Panthers over the last 24 hours.
According to NFL Network insider Mike Garofolo, the Panthers are not likely to make a move before today’s 4 p.m. ET trade deadline.
“It is quiet right now in Carolina,” Garofolo stated on Tuesday’s episode of The Insiders. “So something would really have to heat up for the Panthers to make a move. They did have that offer for Brian Burns last year—with regards to two first-round picks from the Rams as well as a little bit more on top of that, which would’ve been quite the haul. Still surprised that they turned that one down.
“So no indication that he is in any position to be moved right now. Unless something changes, sounds like it’s gonna be a quiet deadline day in Carolina.”
After a disappointing start to their 2023 campaign, the Panthers were viewed as possible sellers throughout the month of October. In addition to Burns, some rumored trade candidates included cornerback Donte Jackson, safety Jeremy Chinn and wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr.—who had been granted permission to seek a swap.
But, with the clock ticking away, it seems like there’s no deal for Fitterer to be in on at the moment.
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Bryce Young’s winning performance in Week 8 yielded his highest PFF grade yet.
Do the Pro Football Focus grades feel any better after a win? Well, let’s see.
Here are the Carolina Panthers’ best and worst grades from their Week 8 victory over the Houston Texans:
What NFL and team insiders have said about the trade availably of several players often speculated or desired as Lions trade targets
The NFL’s trade deadline hits at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday. In the days leading up to the deadline, speculation about what the Detroit Lions will do is hitting a fever pitch.
There are dreams of landing a major name, of being splashy buyers at the deadline. Other lower-level players have also been the object of desire and the occasional rumor. But are any of those potential targets actually available for Lions GM Brad Holmes even if he wanted to pull off a deal?
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The latest insider updates on some of the more popular names are a good reference for viable availability on the trade market. How much credibility you wish to place in the various sources culled here is up to you.
The Panthers have a few talented pass catchers to deal with in Week 8, including the exciting Tank Dell. Oh, and Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud are going head to head.
The Carolina Panthers had an awful first six weeks of the season, coming out as the NFL’s only winless team over a miserable opening stretch. So hopefully for them, the seventh week (their bye) helped bring some much-needed answers.
And if that is indeed the case, then here are four key matchups that’ll help them finally win in Week No. 8:
According to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, teams are being told that Panthers OLB Brian Burns is not available via trade.
Charlotte’s Spider-Man may not be going far from home. In fact, he may not be going anywhere at all.
According to ESPN NFL insider Dan Graziano, the Carolina Panthers are telling teams that outside linebacker Brian Burns is not up for grabs. So, with the trade deadline now less than a week away, it feels as though the two-time Pro Bowl pass rusher is highly unlikely to be moved.
Burns is currently playing on his fifth-year option without a contract extension in hand. Carolina’s inability to ink their 25-year-old star to a long-term pact, while starting out at an NFL-worst 0-6 record, may have hungry contenders sniffing blood in the water.
Nonetheless, Burns is seemingly sitting tight, at least for now.
As for who could be on the move from Carolina, Graziano’s colleague and fellow ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler mentions several names in the very same article. Fowler notes that wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr., who was granted permission to seek a trade last week, is available while defensive backs Donte Jackson and Jeremy Chinn may garner enough interest to inspire a deal.
The Panthers have until 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday to strike any swaps.
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As we take a break this weekend, let’s look at the best and worst PFF grades for the Panthers thus far.
If the 2023 season were a test, the 0-6 Carolina Panthers would be miserably failing. But, hey, at least all the grades aren’t bad.
As we rest on this bye week, let’s take a look at the best and worst Pro Football Focus grades for the team at the checkpoint.
*Players must have played in at least 25 percent of their unit’s snaps to qualify.
Per Joe Person of The Athletic, the Panthers have reportedly reached out to teams in an effort to gauge trade in CB Donte Jackson.
Turns out the Carolina Panthers may be doing some legwork of their own on cornerback Donte Jackson.
On Friday morning, ESPN senior NFL insider Jeremy Fowler noted that the team has received an inquiry into the availability of the sixth-year defender. Later on in the afternoon, Joe Person of The Athletic confirmed Fowler’s report and added that the Panthers have also reached out to teams to gauge trade interest in Jackson.
Panthers have received a trade inquiry about CB Donte Jackson, per @JFowlerESPN.
Panthers also have reached out to teams to gauge interest in Jackson, per sources.— Joe Person (@josephperson) October 20, 2023
At 0-6, Carolina could be looking to punt on their playoff hopes in 2023 and unload some veterans in an effort to recoup some draft capital. Much of that ammunition has been lost in the organization’s search for a quarterback, one that ended with the Panthers sending two first-round picks, two second-round picks and standout wide receiver DJ Moore to Chicago for what was ultimately the rights to Bryce Young.
Now that they need pieces to build around their young passer, players like Jackson—who could be of use for contending squads elsewhere—might not be long for Charlotte.
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