3 big reasons the Carolina Panthers held firm at 2023 trade deadline
By Dean Jones
Carolina Panthers might still believe
Another reason why the Carolina Panthers might have held firm aside from finding value before the trade deadline centers on their fortunes over the second half of 2023. Sunday's win against the Houston Texans was an important step in the right direction, but there is a long way to go before this franchise can legitimately harbor hopes of reaching the postseason at 1-6.
However, those within the building might believe more than some fans. The team's schedule looks pretty favorable if they can build on their newfound momentum and if some established stars get back to full health, that further helps their cause enormously.
The NFC South is not exactly littered with exceptional teams, either. The Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints lead the way at 4-4 currently, so all it would take is for Carolina to go on a run during a winnable stretch of fixtures to enter consideration.
Unlikely of course. But not completely out of reach.
That could be another factor in not moving assets before the deadline. But if they feel like this, one begs the question of why more wasn't done to make quarterback Bryce Young's life easier in the passing game.
This is a question only general manager Scott Fitterer and team owner David Tepper could answer. It's been a while since we heard from either publicly, which isn't surprising when one considers how some free-agent signings are performing and the fact Carolina has one win in seven to start the season.