Carolina Panthers Receives Grade After NFL Trade Deadline

The Carolina Panthers enter Week 10 at 3-5 overall but in first place in the NFC South despite that record. With the division being weak once again, all four teams currently have three wins and are all still alive for a playoff spot. 

This division won't get a Wild Card, and the only path to the playoffs is by winning the division. As the division is still wide open, only one team made some moves at the NFL Trade Deadline. 

The Atlanta Falcons opted to trade veteran safety Jessie Bates to the Jacksonville Jaguars for draft picks. The Falcons felt like they could move forward without Bates and try to rebuild while staying competitive in the division.

As for the Panthers? There were some reports that teams had interest in veteran defensive tackle Derrick Brown but the Panthers were not shopping him. Carolina was also connected to pass rusher Will McDonald IV, who ended up staying in New York with the Jets. It was a very quiet deadline for the Panthers, who are the defending division champions. 

But did they make the right decision by not being a buyer at the deadline to address some needs?

Following the deadline, Zachary Pereles of CBS Sports gave out grades for every team based on what they did. Carolina earned a "C-" in the grades because they stood pat instead of trying to add to the roster. 

Pereles cited needs at cornerback and offensive line that would have been helpful for the stretch run of the season. The Panthers have had some big injuries including to both starting defensive backs Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson. The offensive line has been hit hard as well with a few starters going down. 

He mentions that it's a very winnable NFC South and believes the Panthers could have done something to improve their chances of winning the division. But we also shouldn't be surprised they didn't. 

The Panthers haven't acquired a player in-season via a trade since 2021. It's just not how they really operate. It's clear that they are comfortable with what they have and they should be getting both Horn and Jackson back soon enough.

They will also get some potential reinforcements on the offensive line, too. 

Time will tell if Carolina's move to stand pat pays off in terms of the NFC South. The bottom line is that they will need to start winning some games, beginning with Sunday's showdown against New Orleans.