5 Panthers players who could be sacrificed for a franchise QB in 2022
By Dean Jones
Yetur Gross-Matos – Carolina Panthers DL
The encouraging strides made by Yetur Gross-Matos over the second half of 2021 could indicate a huge role for the versatile defensive lineman in 2022. His production coming off the edge and as a three-technique on the interior is something that’s increased his overall influence, so depending on what happens in free agency and the NFL Draft, it could mean a starting chance for the Penn State product next time around.
Gross-Matos is clearly a player on the up. Something that won’t go unnoticed by other organizations across the league.
This could pose a problem for the Carolina Panthers. Tradable assets are at a premium, so throwing in an explosive player like Gross-Matos into another quarterback move might be a gamble they are willing to make.
It’s also worth remembering that Gross-Matos is still on his rookie deal, which will always come in handy for teams looking to build other areas of their roster. Much will depend on the futures of Marquis Haynes, DaQuan Jones, and Haason Reddick in free agency, but it would be a major surprise if all three were extended given Carolina’s current financial constraints.
Losing Gross-Matos is something that should be avoided given his increased upside. However, positional importance dictates almost nobody should be off the table, in all honesty.