The official NFL roster cut deadline is just days away, and teams around the league, including the Carolina Panthers, will be faced with some tough decisions as they try to trim their rosters down to the mandatory 53-man roster. One of the tough decisions for the Panthers will be what to do with former second-round draft wide receiver Terrace Marshall.
Marshall was drafted in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft with the hope that he could develop into the team’s top wide receiver. But that development never materialized, and Marshall faces the very real possibility of being waived by Tuesday’s deadline. But before that happens, it appears the Panthers are looking to get as much as they can out of the former LSU product rather than just cutting him out entirely.
According to a report from The Athletic’s Carolina Panthers reporter Joseph Person, the team is pitching Marshall to teams in need of a wide receiver to gauge interest. Obviously, it would be a big boon for the team if the Panthers could recoup some draft capital for a player they were going to waive anyway. But why would a team trade a player who is destined to be waived? And who are the teams that might be interested?
The first question comes up at this time every year, and the main answer is competition. When you acquire a player in a trade, you’re probably only competing with one or two teams. But if that player goes on the free market, you’ll be competing with several other teams. If you want to get the player you want, giving up a late draft pick to another team to ensure you get him is a small price to pay.
As for teams that might be interested in a trade for Marshall, Person speculated that the Buffalo Bills could be one. They already have ties to Marshall, as offensive coordinator Joe Brady coached Marshall at Louisiana State and some advocated for the Panthers to draft him when Brady was in Carolina. Buffalo has expressed interest in several veteran receivers, so they could be interested in acquiring a young veteran who still has potential and needs a change of scenery.
Another team that could be interested in acquiring Marshall is the Washington Commanders. Washington needs pass-catching talent around new quarterback Jayden Daniels and just traded Jahan Dotson to the Philadelphia Eagles. They could be a team looking to add some young talent to their rotation in hopes that adding another LSU product to the team will ease Daniels’ transition to the NFL.
We’ll have to wait and see if anything comes to fruition in the coming hours and days, but it’s certainly a situation worth keeping an eye on.
