5 Carolina Panthers off the trade table at all costs in 2022 and beyond

Carolina Panthers must not trade Derrick Brown

Lost in the roster mess the Carolina Panthers are mired in so far this year is Derrick Brown. The defensive tackle is quietly having a great season, consistently getting his hands on the football and even coming away with a shocking interception due to his consistent presence and ability to force the quarterback to throw the ball over him.

His level of play even when games are tilting out of hand speaks to his motor and the player he is in spite of the mess around him. This is further reflected in his exceptional 89.9 grade from Pro Football Focus through six weeks.

Some fans criticized the decision to select Brown at No. 7 overall. But say what you want about former general manager Marty Hurney, the man knew what a first-round pick looked like and this was the correct call in no uncertain terms.

Aside from the deflections and lone sack of the season, there is so much that Brown does that fails to show up in the stat sheet. His relentless effort requires consistent attention and will be part of the solution to fixing Carolina’s severe complications.

Brown likely seems safe from the coming changes when one considers the market for defensive linemen and his current contract. It is hard to see anyone putting together a package enticing enough for the Panthers to consider parting ways with a player that has been one of the few bright spots this season.