Bryce Young has given the Carolina Panthers confidence in the future following his strong finish to the 2024 regular season. That said, it's obvious that he'd benefit from more weapons and help on offense.
Xavier Legette, Jalen Coker, and Adam Thielen provide a decent pass-catching core alongside fellow skill-position players in Chuba Hubbard, Jonathon Brooks, and Ja'Tavion Sanders, though the roster is lacking a No. 1 option with experience handling a large workload.
Fortunately for the Panthers, they might've just received an ideal opportunity thanks to San Francisco 49ers WR Deebo Samuel's surprise trade request on Sunday. The one-time All-Pro doesn't have the same game-changing impact he once did, yet he'd still immediately become Young's best target and a unique weapon for Canales to utilize.
The 49ers have granted Deebo Samuel and his agent Tory Dandy permission to find a trade partner for the wide receiver, Samuel told ESPN. This comes after Samuel asked San Francisco to trade him during the players’ exit meetings after the season.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 9, 2025
“It was a hard conversation to… pic.twitter.com/uuEsxgFHIJ
Panthers Gifted Perfect Chance to Trade for 49ers WR Deebo Samuel
Even though 2024 was underwhelming by Samuel's standards, he still displayed the talents that made him one of the more versatile offensive players in the NFL.
He caught 51 passes for 670 yards and three TDs while adding 136 yards and another score on the ground, showcasing quality contributions as a kicker returner as well. For a team like the Panthers that often needs to catch opponents sleeping to mitigate offensive line issues, Samuel is the perfect card to play.
By lining him up in different formations and utilizing motion, Canales can make Young's life easy and keep defenders on their toes.
It's not yet clear what type of organization Samuel wants to be traded to or if that even matters. He's still contract for one more year with a cap hit north of $15 million, so San Francisco could keep him if they want. That's unlikely though, and Carolina's draft capital and salary cap situation makes them a great fit in a theoretical move.
This news is still developing and perhaps things can change but opportunities like this one don't come around often for struggling franchises. Let's hope the Panthers are ready to take advantage.