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The Carolina Panthers enter the 2025 NFL training camp with optimism and clarity that felt out of reach this time last year. The biggest reason? Quarterback Bryce Young. After a rocky rookie season and a rocky start to his sophomore campaign, Young finally looked like the No. 1 overall pick down the stretch in 2024. As the team slowly builds toward contention, the Panthers must make strategic decisions that prioritize long-term growth over short-term stopgaps. One such decision could come in the form of a trade. The most obvious candidate to be shipped out before Week 1 is a veteran defensive tackle.
Still a Work in Progress
Young looked overwhelmed as a rookie and early in his second season. However, a midyear stint on the bench behind veteran Andy Dalton helped reset his trajectory. When he returned, Young thrived in Dave Canales’ offense. He closed 2024 with three straight games posting a 100+ QB rating, seven passing touchdowns, three rushing scores, and no turnovers.
The Panthers didn’t overhaul Young’s supporting cast this offseason. However, they made key additions. Carolina used its first-round pick on wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan. He joins 2023 first-rounder Xavier Legette to give Young a pair of young, physically gifted receivers to grow with.
In the backfield, Carolina signed former Cowboy Rico Dowdle. He is coming off a 1,000-yard season. He’ll pair with Chuba Hubbard to stabilize the ground game while 2024 second-round pick Jonathon Brooks recovers from another ACL injury.
Defensively, the Panthers addressed last season’s league-worst unit by adding linemen Tershawn Wharton and Nic Scourton. Sure, those moves should prevent another basement finish in points and yards allowed. However, this is still generally a roster in transition.
A playoff push in 2025 remains unlikely. That said, if Young continues his surge and builds chemistry with his young receivers, Carolina could exit this year feeling confident in its long-term direction. The goal for now is development, not a deep postseason run.
Here we'll try to look at the obvious Carolina Panthers trade candidate entering 2025 NFL training camp.
Standing Out as a Trade Chip
When the Panthers signed A’Shawn Robinson to a one-year deal in the 2024 offseason, it was seen as a savvy move to shore up the NFL’s worst run defense. On the surface, Robinson delivered. He logged 80 tackles and 5.5 sacks, both career highs. However, surface-level production doesn’t always reflect on-field impact.
Robinson actually graded out poorly at Pro Football Focus, earning a 54.6 overall mark and just 54.1 against the run. These numbers are troubling for a player whose primary job was to stop the run. Instead of being a solution, Robinson became symbolic of Carolina's defensive issues.
The Panthers responded accordingly. They added Bobby Brown and Wharton in free agency and used a Day 3 draft pick on defensive tackle Cam Jackson. All signs point to a changing of the guard in the interior defensive line room, one that doesn’t include Robinson as a starter. He may not even be on the final roster.
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Robinson is 30 years old and entering his ninth NFL season. He’s not a building block for the future. He is, however, a veteran with experience and recent statistical production that could appeal to teams in win-now mode.
Teams Might Still See Value
Despite his deficiencies against the run, Robinson showed some surprising juice as a pass rusher last season. He might not be an elite disruptor, but he’s far from washed. In a rotational role or as a complementary piece, Robinson could be a useful midseason addition.
Contenders with injury questions or thin defensive lines could see Robinson as a plug-and-play option. If that interest materializes, Carolina would be wise to listen.
Rather than let Robinson occupy a roster spot that could go to a younger prospect, the Panthers could flip him for a late-round pick or a depth player at another position of need. Even a conditional seventh-rounder would provide long-term value to a team in rebuild mode.
Time to Let Go
The Panthers have made it clear through their actions that they’re focused on youth, growth, and culture. Canales brings structure and energy to a locker room that badly needed it. Young is finally being given the tools and stability to develop into a franchise quarterback. And the defense is being overhauled for the future.
Robinson just doesn’t fit that blueprint. He was a short-term fix that didn’t pan out. Now, he’s a veteran occupying snaps and salary that could be better spent elsewhere.
The Panthers shouldn’t wait for an injury or an offer they can’t refuse. They need to be proactive. If Robinson is no longer in their plans—and all indications suggest he isn’t—then moving on makes sense for both sides.
Final Thought
Carolina’s front office is navigating the fine line between building for the future and supporting its young quarterback in the present. Trading A’Shawn Robinson may not move the needle in 2025, but it’s the kind of prudent, forward-thinking move that good franchises make. In that sense, dealing Robinson before training camp isn’t just obvious—it’s necessary.
