The Carolina Panthers are having a fire sale, and they could trade starting center Austin Corbett. With 2023 first-overall pick Bryce Young officially benched, the team is staring down yet another rebuild under a new regime. This means that the team will try to get younger in the coming months, choosing to part ways with veterans on expiring contracts in exchange for draft picks that could determine the next great players to wear the blue, black, and silver.
Austin Corbett originally entered the NFL with the Cleveland Browns, but the trade candidate spent the past three seasons in Carolina. After starting 17 games at guard in 2022, injuries limited him to just four starts in 2023. With Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis joining the Panthers in the offseason, Corbett switched to center and thrived through two games. The Nevada product has the eighth-best PFF grade among centers, and the Chargers could use a player like him on their roster.
Panthers Could Trade Austin Corbett to Chargers
Why the Chargers Could Do This
Entering Week 3 with a perfect 2-0 record, the Los Angeles Chargers are winning games with old-school football. This is how Jim Harbaugh likes to play, as the defense has been remarkable while the running game provides all the points Los Angeles needs. First-round pick Joe Alt hit the ground running, as the rookie and Rashawn Slater form what could easily be the NFL’s best tackle duo. However, if they want to continue to win in the trenches, they should consider an Austin Corbett trade.
While the tackles are secure, Los Angeles could still use help along the interior. With the Corey Linsley Era officially over, the Chargers are using former Panther Bradley Bozeman as a short-term fix at the position. That experiment hasn’t gone too well thus far, as the veteran is currently PFF’s 30th-best center out of 33 eligible players. PFF grades are not gospel, but there is no denying that the Chargers could use an upgrade. Assuming the Panthers are willing to trade him, Austin Corbett could be an immediate upgrade for a team looking to go on a deep playoff run in the first year of the Jim Harbaugh Era.
Why the Panthers Could Do It
The Carolina Panthers have unofficially given up on the 2024 season, but that doesn’t mean they’ll trade Austin Corbett for nothing. After all, somebody needs to start for this team next year, and Carolina won’t want to part ways with someone who could provide much-needed protection for whoever Carolina’s next quarterback is. Additionally, games still need to be played this year, and head coach Dave Canales could lose the locker room if he deals all the veterans on the roster.
With all that being said, the Panthers could still trade Austin Corbett. Carolina won’t part ways with every veteran, but seeing as Corbett is in the final year of his contract, Carolina could shop him around. The interior offensive lineman will be 30 next year and would likely prefer to play with a contender as he approaches the final years of his career. The Panthers won’t be competitive next year, which means they will likely lose Corbett in free agency unless they overpay for his services. With this in mind, why wouldn’t they get a draft pick for a player who probably won’t be with the team next year?
Main Photo: Jim Dedmon – USA Today Sports
