3 potential trades for the Panthers to land Matthew Stafford

Trade package No. 1

Given the salary implications involved in a potential trade for Matthew Stafford, the Carolina Panthers would be wise to try and include Teddy Bridgewater in any potential deal. The free-agent signing just hasn’t lived up to expectations so far and this would give the Detroit Lions a stop-gap player at the position while their expected first-round prospect gets up to speed.

The Lions could then release Bridgewater in 2022 with no financial repercussions, providing his potential replacement has fully acclimatized to life in the NFL by then. This isn’t the way either the Panthers or the former Louisville standout wanted things to work out. But the simple fact of the matter is he is only going to take the organization so far.

David Tepper, Matt Rhule, and Scott Fitterer haven’t exactly given Bridgewater a vote of confidence this offseason. The signal-caller knows that more competition is coming his way, at the very least, and there is even the possibility his time with the organization might be done after just one year under center.

Few would argue that Stafford doesn’t represent an upgrade on Bridgewater. His ability to move the ball downfield quickly is something that could really benefit Carolina’s weapons in the passing game and although the current No. 1 is more accurate, that stat doesn’t begin to tell the full story of how he’s performed throughout the campaign.

This is probably the best-case scenario for the Panthers and would still give them their first two picks in the 2021 NFL Draft to strengthen Stafford’s protection.