The Carolina Panthers had one of the best free agencies in the entire league. The Panthers splashed the cash, adding players such as Jaelan Phillips, Devin Lloyd, and Rasheed Walker to a team that was already a division champion. But they could look to upgrade in other areas.
Carolina Panthers Floated as Potential Trade Destination for Dolphins RB De’Von Achane
Even in a great offseason, the Panthers will have to deal with a loss. Rico Dowdle, who crossed the 1,000-yard mark in 2025, left the team and signed a deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers in free agency. Chuba Hubbard remains on the roster, but more help is needed.
A recent article floating trade ideas for De’Von Achane by PFSN’s Cameron Sheath puts the Panthers as a possible landing spot for the running back. The Miami Dolphins recently stated that he’s not available, but if a great offer arises, the Dolphins could change their stance and add extra draft capital for their rebuild:
“Finally, the Carolina Panthers make the list as another team looking to build on a promising 2025 season. The reigning NFC South champions have again been aggressive in free agency, adding to their struggling – but improving – defense.”
Achane is expected to be one of the building blocks of the new Miami Dolphins. Even though the Dolphins let go of many of their famous faces, including Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill, the young running back is reportedly not available in a trade. They’re not expected to be contenders in 2026.
The Panthers, on the other hand, are a curious case. Even though they won the NFC South in 2025, Carolina did so with a losing record. They knew that the roster wasn’t strong enough to compete for the bigger prizes; as a result, free agency saw many players joining the team in megadeals. They certainly loaded up to build on their playoff appearance.
Achane’s performance in 2025 was excellent, despite the mess involving the Dolphins. He finished the season with 1,350 rushing yards and 8 rushing touchdowns, the first time in his career that he crossed the 1,000-yard rushing mark. He was ranked as the No. 2 running back in our PFSN’s NFL RB Impact Metrics.
With Achane entering the final year of his contract, the Dolphins should consider an extension if they’re not going to trade him. With Malik Willis as the starting quarterback in 2026, Achane will be tasked with a heavy workload during the season. However, with Miami unlikely to contend, the front office should at least consider whether extra draft capital would be better than all the yards.
