3 potential partners if Panthers want to trade up from No. 8
By Dean Jones
Cincinnati Bengals
Much will depend on how the draft plays out in front of the Cincinnati Bengals at No. 5 overall. But if one of the top-three quarterbacks is still on the board by then, it could represent the best solution for the Carolina Panthers if they want to move up for a specific target.
Forget doing a deal with the Atlanta Falcons, who are sitting at No. 4. They aren’t going to drop down and allow an NFC South rival the chance to potentially get a franchise signal-caller that could have a real impact on their future hopes. But that won’t be the case where the Bengals are concerned.
Cincinnati suffered the biggest of blows when Joe Burrow went down with a serious knee injury. The former LSU sensation is their most prized possession and they need to get better protection around him if they want to be competitive in the brutal AFC North moving forward.
If Penei Sewell is on the board by this point, then the Panthers can probably kiss goodbye their chances of moving up. Burrow has also made no secret of his desire to reunite with Ja’Marr Chase, but it’s unlikely that the wide receiver will be around at No. 8 in the event they work out a deal with the Panthers.
This is going to cost anything like the compensation of a deal with the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets. However, committing too early to this trade would be costly.