Clemson pros Tee Higgins, Hunter Renfrow seen as potential trade targets for Panthers |
The Carolina Panthers are reportedly in the market for a top receiver via trade, and Pro Football Focus named two
Clemson products for such a move.
Tee Higgins, who will miss upcoming games due to a rib injury, is listed among the "top options," although tabbed as among the "very unrealistic." "There is no doubt that after Higgins and the Bengals were unable to reach an agreement on an extension this offseason, with reports the two sides never really came close, teams started calling Cincinnati director of player personnel Duke Tobin to inquire about the young stud wide receiver. Odds are those phone calls were very short-lived. Higgins is now dealing with a broken rib that may cause him to miss a few games, which adds another complication to any hypothetical deal," PFF's Brad Spielberger said. "Despite a very poor start to the 2023 season with nothing to suggest dramatic improvement is on the horizon, we’d put the likelihood of this move happening before the 2024 offseason, if at all, very close to 0%. Higgins will likely receive the franchise tag heading into 2024, and Cincinnati will then choose whether to engage in trade conversations. "A trade would probably require a first-round pick and perhaps another Day 2 pick. Carolina just traded an absolute haul to acquire Bryce Young in the first place, and wide receiver D.J. Moore‘s inclusion in that trade is why we find ourselves in this situation." A "realistic" target is Las Vegas' Hunter Renfrow, who has logged just five catches in seven targets for 52 yards after missing games last year due to injury. "The Las Vegas Raiders have had phone calls centered on wide receiver Hunter Renfrow this season, and it’d be somewhat of a surprise if he isn’t moved before the Oct. 31 trade deadline," said Spielberger. "Renfrow has two years remaining on the extension he signed in 2022 but no guarantees beyond this season. An acquiring team would take on a $3.61 million salary for the remainder of 2023 if they add Renfrow right before the deadline, which is a reasonable number...Clearly, he is not in the long-term plans of the Raiders' new regime. "Adding a player who can separately quickly at the line of scrimmage and provide Bryce Young with a short-area outlet over the middle could help mitigate some of the issues with the pass-blocking unit up front. And given the salary situation plus Renfrow’s lack of usage, we’re probably talking about a Day 3 pick price point here."
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