The Carolina Panthers have built some serious positive energy thanks to their Week 4 Sunday Night Football win over the Detroit Lions.
Now, they're in a bit of a holding pattern. They have a bye in Week 5.
The early bye might not be ideal, but it will allow the Panthers to take stock of their roster and consider what might be helpful to them going forward.
The upcoming trade season in the NFL does appear like a bunch of intriguing veterans could be available. With the Panthers hoping to defend their NFC South Division title, it's worth considering which of the possible targets could make Carolina better.
The defensive side of the ball certainly stands out, not just because of performances so far but also because of how much injuries have impacted Carolina defensively.
Adding depth, experience and talent is never a bad thing, and the Panthers might have that opportunity.
One name that seems to have popped up a couple of times now is Solomon Thomas, who was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers .
Thomas now plays for the Titans , who are 0-4.
A Thomas trade certainly seems like an obvious one barring a shocking Tennessee turnaround. It doesn't do the Titans any good to keep him around.
And given Thomas' experience and versatility on the defensive line, he'd definitely be helpful for Carolina.
Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox made the connection in a new trade board on Oct. 7, naming the Panthers and the Cleveland Browns as two potential landing spots for Thomas.
"Tennessee will likely use the rest of 2026 to evaluate quarterback Cam Ward and determine whether it should consider replacing him with a top 2027 prospect," Knox writes. "Veteran players who won't contribute toward that goal should be viewed as expendable. The Titans traded for defensive lineman Solomon Thomas in the offseason, reuniting him with head coach Robert Saleh. While Thomas has appeared in all four games this season, he has played just 25 percent of the defensive snaps."
A trade for a guy like Thomas would show the rest of the Panthers' players that the front office does truly view them as contenders this season.
Knox writes that it would only cost a 2027 seventh-round pick for a team to acquire Thomas.
That's as low a price as you're going to get.
"Thomas, who will be a free agent in 2027, has little long-term value to the Titans," Knox writes. "However, he could bolster a contender's defensive line."
Carolina wants to view itself as a contender, and certainly wants to do better than the 8-9 that won the division last season.
Thomas could be a helpful nudge in the right direction.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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