Panthers Trade Proposal for $112 Million All-Pro to Carolina

Panthers Trade Proposal for $112 Million All-Pro to Carolina originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

It’s been a minute since the Carolina Panthers entered a season with real expectations.

After back-to-back forgettable campaigns, the vibes in Charlotte have shifted. The offense finally has legitimate weapons across the board. The defense, while still young, is loaded with potential. Now, the only thing missing? A few veteran difference-makers to tie it all together and one bold move to signal that this team is done rebuilding.

So naturally, when Bleacher Report floated a trade idea involving T.J. Watt, ears perked up.

The proposed deal:

Panthers receive: T.J. Watt

Steelers receive: 2026 2nd-round pick, 2027 2nd-round pick, 2027 3rd-round pick, EDGE D.J. Wonnum

If you’re the Panthers, this is a “where do we sign?” moment. Watt, a game-wrecking force and perennial DPOY candidate, fits the exact brand of football Carolina wants to return to being fast and disruptive up front. He would immediately become the soul of a defense that’s still searching for one post-Luke Kuechly.

But what about the Steelers?

Here’s where it gets complicated. Trading away your franchise cornerstone while still in win-now purgatory. Especially with a healthy Aaron Rodgers potentially leading the charge in the AFC is a chaotic move. Pittsburgh could demand more. Watt is still just 29 and under contract through the end of the 2025-26 season. Unless they’re fully hitting the reset button, it’s hard to imagine Omar Khan greenlighting this without serious internal turmoil or an eye toward a massive roster reset.

But it’s a tough sell to a proud franchise and a fan base more likely to wave a Terrible Towel than a white flag.

If Watt’s too rich or too sacred, there’s another edge rusher potentially on the move. Cincinnati Bengals’ Trey Hendrickson is reportedly unhappy with his current contract. He’s playing on a $16 million deal with one year left and wants a long-term extension north of $35 million guaranteed and in the range of Maxx Crosby and Danielle Hunter.

Cincinnati is an organization known for being frugal in its business dealings and likely has been hesitant to commit. Hendrickson, while productive (17.5 sacks in the last two seasons), turns 30 this December and has dealt with injuries. For a team like Carolina, he could be the kind of short-term answer that helps bridge the gap between raw potential and playoff contention.

Why the Panthers Should Be Making These Calls

The Panthers are quietly in one of the best positions in the league to make a leap.

They’ve added Tershawn Wharton and Bobby Brown to beef up the trenches next to Derrick Brown. They signed safety Trevon Moehrig to shore up the back end. The infrastructure is being built.

But what they still lack is that one dude on defense who makes offensive coordinators lose sleep. Brian Burns is gone. There’s no longer a war daddy off the edge. A player like Watt or Hendrickson changes the math significantly. They bring leadership and a resume that commands attention. Pressure not just on quarterbacks, but on this Panthers ownership group to finally put a winning product on the field.

Final Thought: Is It Worth It?

If the goal is to win now and not just develop talent and wait, these are the kinds of moves Carolina has to seriously consider. A solid addition would help smooth over the wounds left from moving Christian McCaffrey a year too late, and arguably doing the same with Brian Burns. More importantly, it would send a message in the locker room and the entire NFC South. We’re done waiting for the process to play out for another one to start.

Whether it’s Watt or Hendrickson, the Panthers are no longer in a position to play it safe. They’ve done enough rebuilding to not just say “our time is coming,” but to declare “our time is right now.”

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 23, 2025, where it first appeared.

Panthers Trade Proposal for $112 Million All-Pro to Carolina

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