Trade Packages for Tee Higgins, Best WR Targets for Panthers to Pair with Bryce Young

The Carolina Panthers are off to an 0-4 start, but they still have a bright future thanks to No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young. The young quarterback has struggled out of the gate and missed a game with an ankle injury, but he has shown flashes of the talent that made him such an elite prospect.

The most glaring issue Young currently faces is Carolina's lack of high-end receivers around him. The team only brought in an aging Adam Thielen and the oft-injured DJ Chark Jr. this offseason to bolster a receiver's room that lacked proven talent. While the Panthers also drafted Jonathan Mingo in Round 2 and signed tight end Hayden Hurst to round out Young's arsenal, the moves thus far haven't resulted in much on-field success.

However, Carolina could be one move away from turning things around. Bringing in an elite No. 1 receiver could change the fortunes of this franchise.

Fortunately, Carolina seems ready to make that type of move. According to Bleacher Report insider Jordan Schultz, the Panthers have made it their "top priority" to bring in an elite pass-catcher who can aid Young.

With that in mind, here are some of the most realistic targets whom the Panthers could go after and what they might cost to acquire before this year's trade deadline.

Carolina Panthers get: WR Davante Adams

Las Vegas Raiders get: 2024 second-round pick, 2025 first-round pick

The Las Vegas Raiders are once again one of the league's most disappointing teams. They went 6-11 last year despite some blockbuster acquisitions, including star receiver Davante Adams, and they're now off to a 1-3 start this season after three consecutive defeats.

While Adams has held up his end of the bargain—he hauled in 100 catches for 1,516 yards and 14 touchdowns last season and already has 33 receptions for 397 yards with three scores this year—the twilight of his prime is being wasted. With Jimmy Garoppolo clearly not the long-term answer under center, it's time for the Raiders to look toward the future and start accumulating picks to rebuild with in 2024.

Adams "has been set on playing Vegas long-term," according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, but he could net the Raiders a big return in a trade. They gave up first- and second-round picks to get him, which they should aim to recoup if (when?) they decide to move on from him.

The Panthers would be doing Young a massive favor by acquiring Adams. His presence would instantly bolster an offense that currently ranks 23rd in passing yards per game and has just four touchdowns through the air.

Adams won't come cheap, but trading for him is a risk the Panthers should be willing to take right now. They went all-in to get their franchise quarterback and now need to augment him with a top-end pass-catcher like Adams.

Carolina Panthers get: WR Marquise Brown

Arizona Cardinals get: 2024 second-round pick

The Arizona Cardinals brought in several big-name wideouts to bolster their offense over the last few seasons, but it hasn't panned out. They released DeAndre Hopkins following three middling seasons this spring and could part ways with Marquise "Hollywood" Brown in 2024 since he hasn't made a huge impact during his first two years with the club.

The Cardinals acquired Brown during a draft-day trade last year, and he went on to have his worst statistical showing since his rookie year. He caught only 67 passes for 709 yards and three touchdowns, a noticeable drop from the 91 catches for 1,008 yards and six scores he posted with the Baltimore Ravens in 2021. While he's on par to improve this year—Brown has 21 receptions for 239 yards and two touchdowns through four games—the Cardinals are off to a 1-3 start and aren't likely to contend for some time.

With Brown in the final year of his rookie deal and set to hit free agency this spring, the Cardinals could decide to move the 26-year-old before the deadline. They gave up a first-rounder in exchange for Brown and a third-round pick, but they would likely have to settle for a bit less to ship him off given his contract situation.

The Panthers would be wise to capitalize on this situation and bring Brown aboard in exchange for a Day 2 pick. While his star may have faded in Arizona, it could shine bright again with Young relying on him as his clear-cut top pass-catching option.

Carolina Panthers get: WR Tee Higgins

Cincinnati Bengals get: 2025 first-round pick

The Cincinnati Bengals appear to be headed toward a disappointing campaign after a 1-3 start. Although they shook off an 0-2 start last season to get to the AFC Championship Game, this year feels lost because of star quarterback Joe Burrow's lingering calf injury.

With the offense ranking last in total yardage and 31st in scoring, it may be time for the Bengals to consider shipping Tee Higgins off for the best return possible. Higgins is is set to hit free agency next spring, and back in September, Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer reported he "is not believed to be in the Bengals' future plans."

The Bengals signed Burrow to a record-setting extension right before the season, and star receiver Ja'Marr Chase is due for his own megadeal next year. If Higgins isn't in their long-term budget, they should try to flip him for a return stronger than the compensatory draft selections they would get for losing him in free agency.

Higgins is coming off back-to-back years with 74 catches and 1,000-plus yards, and he notched at least six touchdowns in each of his first three NFL seasons. The 6'4", 215-pound wideout would be a No. 1 option in plenty of offenses, but he has taken a backseat to Chase in Cincinnati's.

That could change in Carolina, as Higgins' rare blend of size, speed and catching ability would make him a target magnet for Young. He could help open up a Panthers offense that is struggling without a true No. 1 receiver in the mix.

While the Panthers can't offer a first-round pick in 2024—they already traded it to the Chicago Bears—they could send their 2025 first for Higgins. With roughly $70 million in projected cap space for the 2024 season, the Panthers have far more financial flexibility to give him a hefty extension than the Bengals do.

Carolina Panthers get: WR Darnell Mooney

Chicago Bears get: 2024 third-round pick

The Chicago Bears are one of only two winless teams right now and just coughed up a 21-point lead to the Denver Broncos. Things aren't working in the Windy City, and they need to make significant changes to become competitive again.

One such change could be moving Darnell Mooney ahead of the trade deadline. The 2020 fifth-round pick has been one of the few bright spots on this roster over the last few years, but he took a step back in 2022 and appears to be trending toward another down season.

Mooney broke out as a sophomore with 81 catches for 1,055 yards and four touchdowns, but he had only 40 receptions for 493 yards and two scores last year. Through four games in 2023, Mooney has a meager eight catches for 104 yards and one touchdown.

Rather than lose the 25-year-old for only a compensatory pick in free agency, the Bears should explore moving Mooney for a more respectable return. He isn't likely to net a premium pick after his down 2022 campaign and sluggish start this year, but he might still get Chicago something in the neighborhood of a late-Day 2 or early-Day 3 selection.

The Panthers could be a great fit for Mooney as he looks to rehabilitate his career. He's shown flashes of talent that could make him a No. 1 receiver for a team hungry for one. That it should come at a relatively cheap cost makes this a low-risk, high-reward move for Carolina.

Carolina Panthers get: WR Courtland Sutton

Denver Broncos get: 2024 second-round pick, 2024 fifth-round pick

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Carolina Panthers get: WR Jerry Jeudy

Denver Broncos get: 2024 second-round pick, 2024 third-round pick

The Denver Broncos just earned their first win of the year, but it came against the dysfunctional Chicago Bears. They're still looking like an expensive mess, an issue compounded by two of the priciest pieces—head coach Sean Payton and quarterback Russell Wilson—having cost them an exorbitant amount of draft capital to acquire.

Rather than ride it out and hope things get better, Denver should hit the reset button and start shipping off players who can help restock its coffers with draft picks. Both Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy should both draw interest from rival teams if they're made available.

Sutton is the more proven of the two, having tallied 259 catches for 3,703 yards and 17 touchdowns since entering the league as a second-round pick in 2018. The SMU product broke out in 2019 when he posted career-best numbers of 72 receptions, 1,112 receiving yards and six touchdowns. He hasn't been as productive since returning from an ACL tear that cost him almost the entire 2020 season, but he's still a dangerous weapon with ideal 6'4", 216-pound size for a No. 1 receiver.

Jeudy got off to a slower start than Sutton, but at 24, he's three years younger and is just starting to hit his stride in the NFL. Despite Denver's struggles in 2022, he managed to haul in a career-high 67 catches for 972 yards and six touchdowns. That performance prompted the Broncos to pick up Jeudy's fifth-year option, which keeps him locked up on a reasonable deal through the 2024 campaign.

The Panthers would benefit from having either wideout on their roster at this point. Sutton would be the safer choice, but his age and cost—he still has three years remaining on a four-year, $60.8 million extension—could be prohibitive. Jeudy has more risk, but the cap savings and upside are undeniable.