The Carolina Panthers are likely going to take this season as the final chance for Bryce Young to prove himself as the franchise quarterback. After being taken as the number one overall draft pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, his first two seasons haven’t gone according to plan. With his struggles amplifying the problems on the roster, the Panthers hold an 8-25 record with Young as the starting quarterback.
Figuring out the quarterback for a team is the toughest job for any franchise. As a result, the Panthers should try to give Young the best possible supporting cast to get an evaluation of where he stands. One key area for improvement on the roster could be the pass-catching group, where the tight end position is particularly weak. For one analyst, though, that is the ideal spot that Carolina should aim to improve via trade.
Could One Trade Fix the Bryce Young-Led Carolina Panthers?
Through five weeks, the team has gone 2-3, with a shocking 30-0 victory over the Arizona Cardinals and a victory over the Miami Dolphins serving as the lone bright spots in what has been an overwhelmingly bad campaign.
With Young’s struggles continuing (31st on PFSN’s QB Impact), the offense has taken a hit, ranking in the bottom half of the league on the corresponding Offense Impact.
In Tetairoa McMillan, they’ve likely found their long-term answer at the wide receiver spot. However, one key area that remains a cause for concern is the tight end position, where Tommy Tremble has been their best option.
As a result, Josh Well of PFSN, in his list of trade candidates for every team, believed the Panthers could look to get into business with the Buffalo Bills in a move for Dawson Knox.
Serving as the man behind Dalton Kincaid in Buffalo, he could be available for the right price. Well believes swapping him for Mike Jackson could be that price, as it would help the Bills improve a defense that has struggled all season long.
As for Knox himself, his production hasn’t been the same since 2021, when Kincaid took the starting job from him. Through his first four seasons, he accounted for 20 touchdowns. But the last three years have seen that number drop to three touchdowns.
Using our PFSN TEi rankings, you can see that in 2021, he was rated as the 12th-best tight end in the league, and followed that up with being 11th in 2022. However, since Kincaid has stolen the show, Knox hasn’t graded above 37th.
As a result, Well believes “a change of scenery” could be the antidote Knox needs to get back to his earlier form. Moreover, the upgrade over Tremble would be a massive boost for Carolina and their attempts at estimating the true value of Young.