Which Carolina Panthers players could potentially be traded before their 2023 season opener at the Atlanta Falcons rolls around?
Although the Carolina Panthers have done the majority of their roster building throughout one of the more eventful offseasons in recent memory, general manager Scott Fitterer is never one to sit on his hands. If the aggressive front office figure feels there are more deals that could benefit the organization long-term, he won't hesitate to pull the trigger.
The Panthers could use their salary-cap space to acquire another veteran or two if the right fits present themselves. Fitterer is also renowned for making trades in or out, so this possibility cannot be dismissed either.
With this in mind, here are three Panthers players that could be traded before they take the field in Week 1 at the Atlanta Falcons.
Brandon Smith - Carolina Panthers LB
The Carolina Panthers are transitioning to a 3-4 base defense with Shaq Thompson and Frankie Luvu as their middle linebacker starters. This comes with enormous intrigue, but it's also left Brandon Smith on the fringes despite leaving a positive impression when finally allocated reps during his rookie campaign.
Smith is a victim of circumstance under a new coaching staff that has no emotional attachment to him whatsoever. While his special teams production could mean a roster spot, the Panthers might be receptive to a worthy trade offer depending on how the former fourth-round selection out of Penn State performs in the preseason.
Giving up on Smith so soon into his professional career could be a mistake. Even if he does appear to be out of favor compared to others currently.
Yetur Gross-Matos - Carolina Panthers OLB
There have been positive vibes surrounding Yetur Gross-Matos this offseason. The Carolina Panthers did almost nothing to strengthen their edge rushing options opposite Brian Burns and the Penn State product received praise from the coaching staff for his impressive transition to the 3-4 outside linebacker spot within Ejiro Evero's creative scheme.
This has left many wondering whether Gross-Matos will get an unlikely starting opportunity once again despite fluffing his lines in 2022. While the notion cannot be dismissed, it does represent a gamble from the Panthers upon further examination of the player's full body of work.
Could keeping Gross-Matos in the limelight and building up his reputation be a play from Carolina's standpoint to attract some trade interest? Possibly, and it's a method used around the league to hype up those who might be deemed surplus to requirements.
The Panthers seem happy enough to give Gross-Matos a chance to prove his worth under the new coaching regime at training camp. He'll also get plenty of reps in the preseason as his position adjustment progresses further before the 2023 campaign begins.
Gross-Matos is entering a contract year, so the Panthers might decide to try and get something in return while they can. However, their edge rushing depth is deeply concerning, so keeping him around remains the most likely scenario.
Matt Corral - Carolina Panthers QB
Matt Corral might be leaving a positive impression so far this offseason, but that doesn't from his uncertain long-term future with the Carolina Panthers. Bryce Young is the main man as expected, with Andy Dalton also ahead of the 2022 third-round selection as a primary leader and solid backup heading into the new campaign.
Corral's said all the right things this offseason. He's knuckling down after an honest conversation with head coach Frank Reich, who urged his signal-caller to play the long game, keep developing, and let the chips fall where they may.
The Panthers are reportedly going to give Corral the majority of preseason reps according to Joe Person of The Athletic. This gives Reich a broader indication of what he has in the former Ole Miss star and also puts him in the proverbial shop window along the way.
This is a tremendous opportunity for Corral. If he performs well, then it might be enough for another team to make Carolina an acceptable offer before finalizing their 53-man roster. This would give the Panthers some valuable draft compensation and provide the signal-caller with a better route to a starting job somewhere down the line.
General manager Scott Fitterer won't be giving Corral away for peanuts. That makes no sense considering he's in Year 2 of a rookie contract and the potential upside attached, so the prospect of keeping him around cannot be ruled out entirely given the NFL's returning rule regarding the ability to activate a third quarterback if injury strikes.