The Carolina Panthers have been connected to a significant trade.
The Carolina Panthers have certainly made some significant moves this offseason, signing pieces like Jaelan Phillips, Devin Lloyd and Rasheed Walker in free agency.
Yes, those players all fill key needs for the Panthers, but there is no doubt that Carolina still has some holes to address.
One of the most notable needs remains at edge rusher, even after the addition of Phillips. The Panthers lack depth on the edge, so they could certainly stand to add another pass rusher in the NFL Draft.
Many are expecting Carolina to do just that, and Kevin Zierlein of NFL.com is actually predicting the Panthers to trade up five spots to No. 14 — a pick currently owned by the Baltimore Ravens — in order to snag Miami edge rusher Akheem Mesidor.
"Carolina moves ahead of Tampa, New York and Detroit, three teams that need edge help, to grab a plug-and-play pass rusher with a deep bag of tricks and relentless motor," Zierlein wrote.
Akheem Mesidor. Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images.Mesidor racked up 63 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks and four forced fumbles during his final season at Miami, helping the Hurricanes reach the National Championship Game.
The 24-year-old began his collegiate career at West Virginia in 2020 and spent two seasons with the Mountaineers before transferring to Miami in 2022.
Mesidor had been a productive player throughout his NCAA tenure before finally breaking out in 2025. He amassed 35.5 sacks over the course of his time between West Virginia and Miami, but he didn't really put himself on the map as an elite NFL prospect until his last season.
The Panthers did draft both Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen on Day 2 last year, but it didn't go according to plan. Scourton was decently productive (he finished with 47 tackles and five sacks), but Umanmielen barely made an impact.
Clearly, Carolina needs another body on the edge, preferably one who can be a bit of a game-wrecker rather than just a depth-filler.
Based on what Mesidor achieved with the Hurricanes this past year, it seems like the Canadian native would be a great fit.
Mesidor was the fifth-ranked edge rusher in NFL.com's Scouting Combine breakdown.
Panthers Roundtable also offers a fan community and message board. We’d love to have you join us to talk all things Panthers. Click the “Join” button at the top of the page to join our community for free.