Which Carolina Panthers news stories are hitting the headlines after a surprisingly quiet trade deadline day for the organization?
After weeks of speculation about which players might be on the move before the 2023 trade deadline, there was no activity whatsoever where the Carolina Panthers were concerned. This was surprising to many, although there were some mitigating factors not necessarily all their own doing involved in the equation.
And just like that, players linked with moves can breathe a sigh of relief and turn their attention to Week 9 against the Indianapolis Colts. Until then, the stories causing conversation include Brian Burns' future, Carolina moving up in ESPN's power rankings, why the Panthers didn't make a move before the trade deadline, and Ikem Ekwonu's struggles examined.
Let's delve into each topic in more detail.
Carolina Panthers move up in ESPN's power rankings
It was only one win. But there is now hope that the Carolina Panthers can begin their resurgence following the bye. Things looked a lot more efficient during their triumph over the Houston Texans - especially on offense - and Frank Reich's men do have some winnable games upcoming over their next 10 before their regular season commitments conclude.
Much of this will be dependent on quarterback Bryce Young's growth. After ESPN's power rankings moved the Panthers up one position to No. 31, beat writer David Newton highlighted that the former Alabama star is starting to look as advertised thanks to some impressive development.
"Rookie Bryce Young hasn't had many reasons to celebrate this season. But on Sunday he notched his first career win, and Carolina's first win of the season. But it was what he did on the winning drive that showed his growth. He was 5-for-6 for 50 yards, including a fourth-down completion to Adam Thielen. He also had a 7-yard scramble. He helped Carolina overcome a fourth-quarter deficit for a win for the first time since 2018 against the Eagles when Cam Newton helped erase a 17-0 deficit. Young's decision-making and processing on the drive were as elite as advertised when Carolina picked him No. 1 overall."David Newton, ESPN
If Young continues to show out and the Panthers pick up a few more wins, all hope is not lost. And who knows, they might be able to salvage some semblance of respectability from the 2023 campaign after all.
Carolina Panthers OT Ikem Ekwonu's struggles
It wasn't all a bed of roses on Sunday. Ikem Ekwonu's sophomore slump seems to be turning into something far more concerning performance-wise, which is a situation worth monitoring closely as the campaign progresses and could also come with significant ramifications attached.
Pressing the panic button this soon into Ekwonu's career would be foolish, especially considering how well the former first-round pick out of North Carolina State performed as a rookie. This was a sentiment echoed by team writer Darin Gantt, who claimed the prowess of offensive line coach James Campen means a turnaround is entirely possible in the not-too-distant future.
"The guy who's doing the polishing is a big part of the reason I am not as worried about [Ikem] Ekwonu as a lot of people. He has James Campen in his ear. And on his rear, most days. James Campen isn't a good coach, he's a great coach. When he was in Green Bay forever, he built a reputation for developing outstanding lines with mid-round picks, if his guys were picked at all. He's the guy you want on a project, and Ekwonu still is one. He turned 23 today, and he's the fourth-youngest player on the roster. When he got here last season, Campen would often be on all fours on the practice field, manually putting Ekwonu's feet where he wanted them to be. He was building a left tackle from the ground up."Darin Gantt, Panthers.com
Some technical flaws in Ekwonu's production require immediate attention based on recent weeks. But this might be a confidence issue above all else - something Campen can do nothing about when it's time to take the field.
Carolina Panthers lack of trade activity
As previously stated, it was somewhat surprising to see the Carolina Panthers hold firm at the 2023 trade deadline. This seemed like a good time to stake stock and potentially recoup some draft capital, although some sections of the fanbase were eager for those in power to make another daring raid to get quarterback Bryce Young some additional assistance in the passing game.
Neither materialized, which was an obvious frustration for many judging by the reactions on social media. But when discussing the topic, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated hinted via USA Today Sports that their lack of activity might have had something to do with a surplus of buyers compared to recent years.
"Silence from New England, Carolina and Denver reflects, to me, a very short supply of buyers this year. I’ll dig this week into why it played out that way, because there were opportunities out there for teams that wanted to take a swing or two. In the end, there simply wasn’t a great appetite on the part of contenders to pick up the bat."Albert Breer via USA Today Sports
The Panthers fielded plenty of calls without anything concrete emerging according to Joe Person of The Athletic. They weren't going to give players away - especially with their current injury complications - so sticking with what they have and hoping for improved performance levels was a sensible course of action.
And besides, it's not like the Panthers are rich when it comes to tradable assets, in any case.
Carolina Panthers OLB Brian Burns' future
This is the second time in as many years that the Carolina Panthers have resisted the temptation to trade Brian Burns before the trade deadline. The star edge rusher is still waiting for a new deal after cutting off negotiations once the time came to focus on football matters, which can hopefully be resolved shortly given how highly those in power value the former first-round selection out of Florida State.
Burns is arguably the team's best player and wants to be paid in correlation to his importance. The Panthers have been reluctant up to now, although they've revealed their hand about his value by turning down multiple offers from elsewhere over the last 14 months.
This was a topic brought up by Jordan Dajani of CBS Sports, who thought the situation between Burns and the Panthers could become even more complicated unless they pay up accordingly.
"The Athletic reported that the Panthers were still getting calls on Burns leading up to the trade deadline, but it didn't seem likely that he would be traded. Remember that in 2022, the Los Angeles Rams reportedly offered the Panthers a deal that included at least two first-round picks! Carolina declined, as it viewed (views?) Burns as a pillar for the future, but the Panthers were unable to sign him to a lucrative extension this offseason. I was starting to wonder if anything had changed. Does Burns want to remain in Carolina? Is he going to be franchise-tagged? Can you imagine if he's allowed to walk after the Panthers declined that absurd trade offer from L.A.?"Jordan Dajani, CBS Sports
Burns has cut a forlorn figure at times this season. Losing football games will do that, so what happens over the next 10 games could impact how the edge presence sees his long-term future with the franchise.