Carolina’s Fire Sale Continues: Panthers Trade Star Defender to Packers, Leaving Fans Heartbroken
The Carolina Panthers badly needed help with their pass rush last offseason after losing Brian Burns, so they pivoted and signed Jadeveon Clowney.
Given that Clowney was a South Carolina native, it seemed like a novel fit for the three-time Pro Bowler, even though he has never been known as a dominant pass rusher at any point of his NFL career.
Well, Clowney put forth middling results for the Panthers in 2024, registering 46 tackles, 5.5 sacks and just 11 quarterback hits in 14 games.
The 32-year-old was widely viewed as a cut cnadidate heading into the offseason, as he signd a wo-year deal with the Panthers last spring. However, Carolina has opted to hold onto Clowney…so far.
A trade is still a possibility for the veteran, and Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox feels that the Green Bay Packers would be a great landing spot for him.
“Offensively, the Packers could use a true No. 1 receiver, though they’re unlikely to find one at this point in the offseason. Defensively, edge-rusher appears to be the team’s biggest need,” Knox wrote. “… The asking price for Clowney this offseason would likely be far lower than a first-round pick, which would leave Green Bay’s top draft choice available to potentially double down at the position.”
At this point, Clowney probably isn’t worth anything more than a Day 3 pick, and given the fact that the Panthers are still in need of pass-rushing help, it may be wise for them to actually retain him for the 2025 campaign, especially considering they could ultimately contend for the NFC South division title.
Carolina will probably get calls on Clowney leading up to the NFL Draft, and while trading him would save some money, it may be best for the Panthers to keep him on the roster for now and perhaps revisit the prospect of moving him at the trade deadline if things don’t work out.
