CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Carolina Panthers are reportedly interested in making a splash trade for a "top tier" wide receiver, according to a report from one NFL insider.
Insider Jordan Schultz reported Tuesday that Carolina general manager Scott Fitterer is exploring trade options to give Bryce Young a premier passing target after the team's offense has struggled through an ugly 0-4 start. To give you an idea of how bad it's been for Carolina, Justin Jefferson has 543 receiving yards himself. The entire Panthers offense has 864.
Adam Thielen has been the team's leading receiver through four games, hauling in 27 passes for 287 yards and two touchdowns. Terrace Marshall Jr. and D.J. Chark are the only other Carolina pass-catchers with over 100 yards on the season.
"No. 1, they know they don't have enough weapons for Bryce Young," Schultz said. "But No. 2, they believe so much in Bryce Young, the Panthers do, Scott Fitterer, head coach Frank Reich, they want to go all in and double down this season."
The report immediately drew skepticism, primarily for two reasons. First, they're 0-4. Even if Carolina found a way to add a premier receiver, it may be too late to make up enough ground to make the playoffs, especially with all four losses coming against NFC opponents who could be in the playoff race down the stretch.
Second, they don't exactly have much draft capital on hand. Fitterer traded Carolina's first-round pick in 2024, as well as a second-round pick in 2025, to Chicago for the No. 1 pick. That trade also included ... the team's top wide receiver, D.J. Moore.
That trade was the second blockbuster Fitterer made after he sent Christian McCaffrey to San Francisco for three draft picks. Carolina sent one of those picks to Chicago, then traded the No. 93 overall and No. 132 overall selections to acquire D.J. Johnson with the 80th pick in this year's draft.
As of today, Carolina has picks in the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth rounds of the 2024 draft.
So what can they trade?
Well, a lot of people quickly looked at edge rusher Brian Burns. With Burns playing in the final year of his rookie contract, he could be viewed as a huge asset for a team looking to re-sign him. But just last year, Fitterer reportedly turned down an offer for multiple first-round picks to keep Burns in Carolina. And if the Panthers did trade Burns, it would be a huge loss for the defense at a premium position. It remains to be seen if Burns, who has made it clear he'd prefer to stay with the Panthers, will remain with Carolina through the trade deadline on Oct. 31.