The Carolina Panthers have some big decisions to make ahead of the 2026 season.
The team has to cut around 40 players from the roster over the next two weeks. Some of these decisions will be easy based on preseason performances, but some will come down to the wire. It's not uncommon to see players on the bubble get traded, and the Panthers have a few candidates.
Today, we're going to list three Panthers who could realistically be moved soon. One of the players listed is going to surprise some people, while the other two are change of scenery candidates.
RB Chuba Hubbard
© Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Would the Panthers really consider moving Chuba Hubbard? Well, it's more likely now than it was a few months ago.
Jonathon Brooks has received plenty of snaps with the first-team offense this summer and he's earned rave reviews. The running back is now healthy and has looked like the most explosive running back on the roster. Dave Canales recently confirmed that Brooks will run with the starters in the second preseason game as well.
Even if Brooks wins the starting job outright, the Panthers could prefer to keep him as a proven backup, especially considering Brooks' injury history. However, undrafted free agent Miles Davis has impressed, and Trevor Etienne and A.J. Dillon are around as well. Maybe the Panthers would move the veteran if a running back-needy team offers a mid-round pick.
TE Ja'Tavion Sanders
Ja'Tavion Sanders is a guy many expected to take a step forward this summer. That hasn't happened, and Sanders has actually only fallen down in the pecking order. In the team's first depth chart, Sanders was listed as a third stringer.
Then, the Panthers signed Darren Waller on Wednesday. It's now obvious that Sanders won't start, so he could be a good change of pace candidate. Teams could be interested in the tight end due to his age and productive college career.
The Panthers wouldn't get much for Sanders in a trade, but it seems like he's falling out of the team's plans, so why not get something in return?
LB Trevin Wallace
Like Sanders, Trevin Wallace is a player many people had high expectations for in 2026. The linebacker seemed ticketed for a starting job, and the hope was that he'd finally take a jump and prove to be a reliable defender.
Instead, Wallace has been unable to separate from Claudin Cherelus. Canales recently revealed that Wallace and Cherelus are locked in a heated battle for the starting spot, which would have been hard to believe just months ago.
If Cherelus continues to impress and wins the job, Wallace is another change of scenery candidate. Perhaps a team with questionable linebacker depth would offer the Panthers a late-round pick for the young linebacker.
