Panthers in trade market for starting wide receiver

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After this past offseason’s blockbuster trade to acquire the No. 1 overall pick they used to select Bryce Young, the Carolina Panthers are continuing to look to build for the future and solidify their roster for 2023 and beyond.

The Panthers already have been active on the trade front this season, sources say, calling several teams about a potential trade for a starting wide receiver.

With DJ Chark and Adam Thielen as two of their top targets — and the only two wide receivers with more than 100 yards thus far this season — Carolina is looking for one more wideout for Young, who will be back in the starting lineup today against the Minnesota Vikings after missing Week 3 due to an ankle injury.

Carolina also drafted receiver Jonathan Mingo in the second round of this past year’s draft, but he has had a slow start to his career, with eight receptions for 64 yards through three games.

Few things are more important in Carolina than their young No. 1 pick at QB being comfortable and successful. While there have been plenty of moments, Young has completed 59.2 percent of passes for 299 yards in two games, with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

Perhaps another starting WR would help Young’s development. Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer has said he wanted to be in on every deal, and this is another example. The team also could look to trade for a safety with Xavier Woods dealing with a hamstring injury, sources say.

Even though they have started the season 0-3, the Panthers have not signaled to other teams that they are interested in trading away players for draft picks, sources say. To be sure, it’s a bit early in the year for most trades, as teams are still figuring themselves out after the first month of the season and a full month before the league’s trade deadline on Oct. 31.

The Broncos, for instance, are not in sell mode despite last week’s historic loss to the Dolphins, sources say. Denver general manager George Paton is someone who will always field trade calls, and they do have two receivers in Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy, who drew trade interest in the offseason. But Denver isn’t there yet.

There will always be trade rumors and speculation about top receivers on teams with below .500 records, and Justin Jefferson caught wind of some this past week. The Vikings dealing Kirk Cousins (who has a no-trade clause) and Jefferson would make no sense for a Minnesota team that made the playoffs last year, and Jefferson wasn’t having it.

“I’m tired of people saying that we’re looking into next season or all of the trades and stuff like that,” Jefferson told reporters this past Thursday. “We’re focused still on this season.”