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Carolina Panthers: The Road Not Normally Taken

By John Woodcock

Jan 17, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman (25) defends Carolina Panthers wide receiver Corey Brown (10) during the fourth quarter in a NFC Divisional round playoff game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 17, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman (25) defends Carolina Panthers wide receiver Corey Brown (10) during the fourth quarter in a NFC Divisional round playoff game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Carolina Panthers could trade up, stand pat, or trade down, but there is yet another option – trading out.

There is one possibility that we have no broached about the upcoming Carolina Panthers’ draft day. They could potentially trade out of a round to bring in some proven veteran. This would be a more New England Patriots way of doing things. First you identify some underappreciated veteran player or one who trying to force his way out.

This is how the Patriots got Randy Moss for a fourth round pick. It is also how they just got Kony Ealy off of the Panthers. Sometimes it doesn’t work. The Patriots were secretly hoping that Jonathan Cooper would turn into a starting guard off of the Chandler Jones trade, but what can you do.

Valuing a current player with a pick number in NFL trading almost never makes sense. A trade by the 49ers involving Kirk Cousins and the 2nd pick makes some sense given what each team receives, but I can’t remember the number of times that I have heard that a team is shopping a starter and hoping to get a third round pick for them (and then getting turned down by everyone).

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Part of this could be Herschel Walker backlash. In the end, the bucket load of picks turned out to be more valuable than what Walker produced with the Vikings. Teams know that, and so they are wary about spending too much to get a difference maker or potential difference maker.

Then there is the waiting game. Why trade and lose something when a team with an unhappy player can just cut them and then you can go sign the player.

If you believe that the Panthers are in win now mode, then there is at least one player who was put on the trade market that would be attractive to the Panthers. That would be cornerback Richard Sherman of the Seahawks. It would be an acquisition that would put the Panthers defense back toward stability and confidence.

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One, it would take care of matchup coverage on one side of the field. The Panthers could lean their safety help to other side or move one up against the run.

Two, it would blow Josh Norman’s mind. After all, the Panthers cut Norman to prevent paying him top five cornerback money. Sherman is one of those guys already making top five cornerback money. In a master stroke, it would be like we didn’t know who Dave Gettleman is anymore.

The ultimate problem of such a move, besides the price tag on Sherman’s deal, is that the value assessment is hard to make. Would Seattle take a third rounder? Would they want a second rounder? Which one – the 40th or the 64th? Would it take a package of picks? Unfortunately the answer may be yes, to all that and more. Seattle’s only official statement is they want a first and a ‘high to mid’ round pick.

Next: Carolina Panthers First Round Mock

Finally there is the announcement that the Seahawks had given up on trading Sherman, though the stated deadline is the Draft itself according to reports from Stephen Cohen of SeattleBPI. Their current asking price is too high, but if that is only the opening offer…

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