The Carolina Panthers' willingness to add more talent and more competition to their roster isn't a question. But the capability to do so certainly is.
Head coach Dave Canales talked with reporters following practice on Tuesday. With the trade deadline now a week away, he was asked if he believes the team will have to get involved in the market to make up for at least some of their key injuries.
"Yeah, that's all stuff we have to consider," Canales replied. "It's the big picture though, right? This is a really good question for Brandt [Tilis] and for Dan [Morgan] to be able to kinda see—what can we do? And that kinda dictates a lot, in terms of how active you can be at the trade deadline.
"But we're certainly open to those options. And all those conversations,
I don't field any of those until they became a little more substantial, and then that's when I get involved in the process."
Cornerback, in particular, should be a position of interest for Carolina. Injuries to starters Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson, as well as backup Akayleb Evans, have greatly depleted the unit—one that saw practice squad member Marco Wilson get a starting nod last Thursday.
But they might not have the capabilities.
The Panthers are currently at $533,061 in salary cap room, the second-lowest amount in the NFL. Unless the front office is able to maneuver some existing contracts around, they won't enough space to land a real difference-maker—at any position.
Canales acknowledged that obstacle.
"Yeah, those are all the things to consider as far as what can be done," he later added. "So, again, until something gets real—my job is to evaluate the people that they put in front of me."
Teams will have until 4:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Nov. 10 to make their deals.
Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.
This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers 'certainly open' to gauging trade options ahead of deadline
