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Denver Broncos: Potential Trade Targets with the Carolina Panthers

By Chandler Hyler

DENVER, CO - JANUARY 24: College football player Christian McCaffrey of the Stanford Cardinal looks on from the sideline in the AFC Championship game between the New England Patriots and the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on January 24, 2016 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - JANUARY 24: College football player Christian McCaffrey of the Stanford Cardinal looks on from the sideline in the AFC Championship game between the New England Patriots and the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on January 24, 2016 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – OCTOBER 06: Shaq Thompson #54 of the Carolina Panthers warms up before their game at Bank of America Stadium on October 06, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – OCTOBER 06: Shaq Thompson #54 of the Carolina Panthers warms up before their game at Bank of America Stadium on October 06, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images) /

Denver Broncos trade idea with Panthers no. 3. Trade for Shaq Thompson

One of the biggest flaws with the Denver Broncos team was their inability to score points. One way to fix that? Add touchdowns defensively!

Throughout his collegiate and NFL career, Shaq Thompson has constantly proven that he is one heck of an athlete. In fact, in his final season of collegiate football as a Washington Husky, he scored four touchdowns.

One of those was a 100-yard fumble return.

Since he was taken with the 24th overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, Thompson has been a constant on what has been a typically stout Carolina Panthers defense. Panthers fans have seen linebackers like Luke Keuchly and Thomas Davis come and go, but one stud remains, Shaq Thompson.

Shaq is a rangy linebacker who has amassed 574 tackles in his 7 seasons as a Carolina Panther, along with 44 tackles for loss. Thompson brings incredible speed and athleticism at the linebacker position, posting a 4.64 40-yard dash during the NFL combine.

Thompson and second-year linebacker, Baron Browning could create quite the sideline-to-sideline duo at the linebacker position. While Thompson is considered as an outside linebacker in a 4-3 system right now, I do not think he would have any issues transferring over to an inside linebacker in a 3-4 based defense.

With the future of players like Alexander Johnson, Josey Jewell, and Kenny Young up in the air, adding a talent like Thompson could make some sense. If I were Scott Fitterer, General Manager of the Carolina Panthers, I may be looking to rebuild.

There aren’t any clear days in sight right now when I look at the Carolina Panthers roster right now. With limited draft capital, no answer at quarterback and a leaky offensive live, adding capital may be the best way to find the light at the end of the tunnel for the Panthers organization.

In 2022, Thompson is due roughly around $11 million followed by $12 million in 2023.

Paton and the Denver Broncos have the cap space and capital to make some moves to shore up the defense if they do not spend it all trading for an elite quarterback.

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