Steelers should be calling about trading for these Panthers players

The Panthers have entered fire sale mode, and these three players should have the Steelers calling to gauge their price.

The Panthers are quite possibly the worst team in the NFL right now, and they appear to be fully embracing that title. With the fire sale of the roster now underway following the Christian McCaffrey trade, the team appears as though no one is off limits ahead of the deadline. The Steelers could be a team that comes calling.

While I’m personally under the opinion that it would make more sense for the Steelers to sell ahead of the deadline, grabbing talent is never a bad thing. The Steelers traded for Minkah Fitzpatrick despite being in a position to sell, and it looks as though that trade has worked out. Here are the three players that the Steelers should try and trade for from the Panthers ahead of the trade deadline.

OL Brady Christensen

A versatile and young offensive lineman, Brady Christensen was a player I was all over last year in the draft. He has the size to play at tackle or at guard, and he has the strength to be a valuable member of an offensive line. He can play four positions essentially along the line and he has a good deal of starting experience to this point.

It’s hard to gauge what the team would want for him. While he has been serviceable so far in his career, he hasn’t locked down a starting role long-term. It would be well worth it if the Steelers could send a day-three pick. At worst, you get a versatile backup. That said, he has legitimate starting potential for a team.

DL Derrick Brown

A former top-ten pick, Derrick Brown had a slower start to his NFL career. Coming out of college, Brown was hailed as a big run stuffer, and through two seasons of play, he has proven to be just that. His pass rush has gotten slightly better, but Brown is one of the best-run defenders along a defensive line right now.

The issue is, what kind of value do you put on just a run defender? The Steelers defense needs to get better there but overpaying for a limited defender can’t be their plan. Assuming the Panthers were willing to part with Brown for a mid-round pick though, the team would be wise to pounce. Having a solid anchor in base defense would be a huge get for this team.

EDGE Brian Burns

Brian Burns has quickly ascended into one of the better pass rushers in the league. Despite playing on a mediocre defense for most of his career and being considered raw coming out of school, Burns has developed into a steady edge presence and a force to be reckoned with. With the fire sale started though, there is a real chance the Panthers look to trade him.

Of all the names on this list, Burns would easily be the most expensive. It would be a considerable investment to try and bring him in but adding him would give this defense a major boost. He is tough to stop off the edge and adding him to an already talented edge group would be a smart investment for this Steelers defense.

While the Steelers certainly could be sellers ahead of the trade deadline, that shouldn’t stop them from shopping the current Panthers roster. If a desirable player is made available, Pittsburgh would be wise to bring him in. These three players are of the most interest, as they could be enormous gets for this roster.