The Pittsburgh Steelers may have found another trade partner following a heartbreaking injury to a Carolina Panthers defender.
In the very first practice of Panthers training camp, starting edge rusher Nic Scourton tore his ACL, effectively ending his 2026 season before it got going. If Carolina is looking to keep its defense competitive, the Steelers have more than enough edge rushers to spare in a potential trade.
Panthers LB Nic Scourton suffers torn ACL and is out for the season. (via @RapSheet + @CameronWolfe) pic.twitter.com/S4iturkhlr
— NFL (@NFL) July 23, 2026
Alex Highsmith, who has been tied to more trade rumors than Steelers fans can keep up with, would make an excellent target for the Panthers, pairing well with Jaelen Phillips to form an outstanding edge-rush
duo in Carolina.
Despite missing time due to injury, Highsmith is coming off an impressive 9.5 sack season. He's reportedly looking for a contract extension, which the Steelers could be hesitant to hand out after Nick Herbig's massive $100 million deal.
The Steelers' asking price for Highsmith is speculated to be around a second-round draft pick, which would actually be a win-win deal for both Pittsburgh and Carolina. A second-round pick would give the Steelers excellent value while the team moves forward with T.J. Watt and Herbig. The Panthers would get a short-term upgrade over Scourton in Highsmith, giving them enough firepower on defense to potentially compete for the NFC South title once again.
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This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers may have new trade partner after Panthers injury news
