The Carolina Panthers are being projected to swing a massive trade that would land them a generational piece.
The Carolina Panthers just won the NFC South division and nearly beat the Los Angeles Rams in the playoffs, but they still went just 8-9 during the regular season and has obvious room for improvement.
One of the biggest problems for the Panthers is their pass rush, as they registered just 30 sacks this past year. That followed a 2024 campaign in which they managed only 32 sacks, so clearly, there is an issue here.
Carolina will certainly try to address that hole this offseason, and while it could attempt to land someone in free agency, the Panthers should really be looking toward the NFL Draft.
In fact, Chad Reuter of NFL.com has Carolina getting aggressive this April and is projecting the Panthers to swing a trade with the Miami Dolphins for the 11th overall pick (Carolina is currently at No. 19), where they would select Miami Hurricanes defensive end Rueben Bain.
Rueben Bain. Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images."GM Dan Morgan has said he plans to add 'one or two' more pass rushers this offseason to upgrade the Panthers' pressure unit," Reuter wrote. "So even though Carolina invested second- and third-round picks in edge defenders last April, Morgan sends a 2026 third-rounder and a 2027 second-rounder to the Fins to move up eight spots for a fellow Miami product. Bain's average length could push him out of the top 10, but he'll be a special player who can get after quarterbacks and hold up against the run.
The chances of Bain slipping out of the top 10 seem very slim given that some view him as a generational talent, but his short arms do make him a bit of a tweener.
Instead of being an edge rusher on the professional level, it's entirely possible that Bain will serve as a 3-tech, but that's perfectly fine.
The 21-year-old racked up 54 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks and an interception in 2025, helping lead Miami to a National Championship Game appearance.
Bain boasts terrific size at 6-foot-3, 275 pounds and is athletic enough to rush the passer both standing up and with his hand in the dirt.
If Carolina is somehow able to land Bain in the first round, it would represent a major coup for the up-and-coming squad.
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