The Carolina Panthers don’t have a ton of salary cap space to work with before the NFL trade deadline, but they do have needs.
For the Panthers to make a run at a repeat NFC South Division title, it would certainly help them to improve around the margins ahead of the Nov. 10 deadline next Tuesday.
This is what ESPN’s Mike Kaye wrote on Wednesday:
“The Panthers are in an awkward spot after losing two consecutive games and firing defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero last week. But while they are under .500, they’re still leading the NFC South entering Week 9. Carolina needs help at cornerback and on the offensive line. Coach Dave Canales said they’re open to improving the roster with a trade, but they’ll need to use some salary cap gymnastics (they have less than $1 million in cap space) to make that happen.”
In that same ESPN article, a trade target was also suggested: Andre Cisco.
Panthers’ Andre Cisco Trade Rumor
ESPN’s Aaron Schatz suggests that the Panthers should trade for Andre Cisco.
Cisco was an absolute stud in college for the Syracuse Orange, and he’s spent NFL time with the Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Jets.
He currently plays for the Jets, who are in position to trade away some veterans before the deadline.
This is the case Schatz makes:
“New York can send a veteran free safety to the contending Panthers in exchange for youth at the position. This would also allow sixth-round rookie Zakee Wheatley more time to develop and improve the Panthers’ pass defense, which ranks 21st in DVOA against deep passes.”
Cisco is still just 26 years old, and he has eight interceptions in his NFL career. He’d be a definite help for Carolina.
A Panthers Workaround
Much of the analysis lately has suggested that the Panthers need to trade for a cornerback before the deadline.
To an extent, that’s quite true. They’ve been without Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson due to injuries, and even the backup corners have spent time getting hurt.
But another way to try and shore up the secondary is to improve at the safety position. It doesn’t solve the problem directly, but it at least gives the whole pass defense a bit of a boost.
Cisco is a ball hawk who forces opposing quarterbacks to pay attention to where he is on the field. That’s the type of player the Panthers could use right about now.
Panthers’ Suggested Trade Lands Former Syracuse Star