4 trade deadline targets at LB for the Carolina Panthers

Could the Carolina Panthers look to acquire a linebacker to replace Tahir Whitehead before the 2020 trade deadline?

If the Carolina Panthers want to become a surprise playoff contender, then they might want to look at possible improvements at linebacker. Tahir Whitehead is in danger of becoming a real weak link at the second level and it already looks like patience is wearing thin regarding his lack of production.

The Carolina Panthers were probably hoping that Whitehead would be a short-term fix to the problem after legendary figure Luke Kuechly announced his shock retirement earlier this year. But their current momentum might cause the decision-makers to make a bold move now and improve their prospects of mounting a legitimate challenge for the NFC South title that simply wasn’t expected from them at the stage of the team’s development.

Whitehead reunited with his former college coach Matt Rhule on a one-year, $2.5 million deal in free agency. His play so far has been a significant cause for concern and it even saw the veteran replaced by Adarius Taylor for a time during their impressive win at the Atlanta Falcons.

There doesn’t appear to be much in the way of options on the free-agent market, which is to be expected at this time of year. However, with the trade deadline upcoming, this is another avenue the Panthers could go down in a bid to boost their fortunes.

Let’s take a look at four linebackers who could be considered trade targets for the Panthers.