The Carolina Panthers have plenty of problems to address before the NFL trade deadline, but trading Derrick Brown should be the last thing on their minds.
Carolina is coming off back-to-back losses, recently fired defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, and currently sits at 3-4 with one of the NFL's worst run defenses. The Panthers have already made significant changes to their defensive personnel and coaching staff, yet the results haven't improved much.
And with the November 10 trade deadline approaching, it wouldn't be surprising to see Carolina explore additional moves.
Carolina Panthers are right not to entertain trade calls for Derrick Brown
However, Brown should be completely off-limits. And according to Joe Person of The Athletic, the Panthers aren't entertaining the calls about Brown's availability.
The 28-year-old has been one of Carolina's most reliable players for years. Moving him would only create another massive hole on a defense that already has enough of them.
Brown hasn't exactly dominated the stat sheet this season, recording 21 tackles, zero sacks, and five pass breakups through seven games. But judging his value strictly by sacks would be a mistake.
Last season, Brown finished with 73 tackles, five sacks, and seven pass breakups, while continuing to establish himself as one of Carolina's most important defensive players.
And we've already seen what he's capable of at his best.
Getting rid of Brown would make very little sense when the Panthers are already struggling to generate pressure and stop opposing offenses.
Carolina Panthers would take a significant financial hit by trading Derrick Brown
There's also the financial side of a potential Brown trade, which makes the idea even harder to justify.
The Panthers signed Brown to a four-year, $96 million contract extension in April 2024, including $63.16 million in total guarantees.
Then, earlier this year, Carolina restructured his deal by converting $16.83 million of salary into a bonus, reducing his 2026 cap hit by approximately $13.55 million.
A trade would leave Carolina responsible for significant dead money, and the Panthers would still need to find somebody capable of replacing his production.
Good luck with that.
Even if another team offered a first-round pick, Carolina has no guarantee it could find a defensive tackle anywhere near Brown's caliber with that selection.
It would also complicate things for interim defensive coordinator Todd Wash, who is already trying to turn around one of the NFL's worst defenses with just 10 games remaining.
Carolina doesn't need another rebuild on defense. It needs the players already on the roster to start producing.
Of course, general manager Dan Morgan should listen to offers for players who aren't part of the team's future. But Brown is under contract beyond this season, is still only 28, and has already proven he can play at a Pro Bowl level.
Oh, and he also broke the single-season tackle record for defensive linemen in the NFL.
The Panthers have spent enough time searching for foundational players. Trading one of the few they've actually developed would be a massive mistake.
Add us as a preferred source on Google