Trade History: Panthers use deals to fuel four deep playoff runs
The Carolina Panthers just completed their 25th season, and their history includes eight playoff appearances, four trips to the NFC Championship Games and two Super Bowls. The Panthers acquired several players in trades who were key members on the teams that made those deeper playoff runs, with two of the team’s biggest stars appearing both on this list and in Super Bowl 50.
1. (Part One) April 22, 1995:
Panthers received: First- and second-round picks in the 1995 NFL Draft
Bengals received: First overall selection in the 1995 NFL Draft
(Part Two):
Panthers received: A first round pick in 1995
Chargers received: Second-, third- and fourth-round picks in 1995
Although 7-9 might not seem like an enviable record, the Panthers posted that mark in 1995 and set an NFL record for the first season of an expansion team. A big part of that came from these two trades, which brought the franchise its first star, along with a starting left tackle and a defensive reserve, all of whom helped bring Carolina to the NFC Championship Game in its second season in 1996.
The deal with the Bengals brought in Penn State quarterback Kerry Collins, who was an All-American and a Heisman Trophy finalist in 1994. Collins led Carolina to a 7-6 record during his 13 starts in 1995, and made the Pro Bowl the following year while leading the Panthers to the NFC title game. However, he led the league with 21 interceptions in 1997 and was placed on waivers by Carolina four games into the next season. Although he told Panthers head coach Dom Capers his “heart wasn’t in it,” his poor play most likely could be attributed to alcoholism, which had started to become more prevalent at that point. After finishing out 1998 with the Saints, Collins spent five years with the Giants, leading New York to Super Bowl XXXV, where they lost to the Ravens. He played two years with the Raiders, five with the Titans and one with the Colts before retiring after the 2011 season. Carolina used the second-rounder on Louisiana-Monroe defensive end Shawn King, who had seven sacks in three seasons in a reserve role with the Panthers. Like Collins, King had an addiction, but his was drugs. He tested positive for marijuana during rookie training camp and missed 42 games overall due to suspension, including all of the 1998 and 2000 seasons. He chose to retire in 2001, but came back for one season with the Arena Football League’s Tampa Bay Storm in 2004. The first-round pick from the Chargers became Blake Brockermayer, an All-American left tackle from Texas. Brockermayer started 55 games in four years with Carolina, and he spent three more with Chicago and two with Denver before retiring after the 2003 season.
With the top overall pick in 1995, Cincinnati selected Ki-Jana Carter, an All-American and the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy in 1994 after rushing for 1,539 yards and 23 touchdowns in his junior season at Penn State. However, Carter’s pro career was beset by injuries: Carter missed his entire rookie season after tearing a ligament in his knee, and a torn rotator cuff, broken left wrist, and dislocated kneecap also cost him considerable time with Cincinnati. He spent one year with the Redskins, sat out the 2002 season and played the next two with the Saints before retiring in 2004. He only totaled 1,144 yards and 20 touchdowns in seven NFL seasons.
San Diego acquired three picks from Carolina in their trade. The first was Terrance Shaw, a cornerback from Stephen F. Austin. Shaw amassed seven interceptions in five years with the Chargers and he played in two title games, including a victory with the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVI. In the second round, San Diego selected Ohio State guard Preston Harrison, who never played in the NFL. In 2015, he was sentenced to seven years in prison for conspiracy to commit fraud and money laundering. The fourth-round pick was used on Florida State linebacker Chris Cowart, who tore his ACL in a pickup basketball game and never played in the NFL.
Assessment: None of the players the Panthers acquired lasted very long, but they all were a part of the team that reached the 1996 NFC Championship Game. Carter was unfairly labeled a bust due to injuries, and the three players the Chargers drafted either did not play or had their best moments with other teams. PANTHERS
2. July 23, 1998:
Panthers received: A second-round pick in the 1999 NFL Draft
Colts received: CB Tyrone Poole
Carolina used the second-round pick on Georgia tackle Chris Terry, who started 57 games with the Panthers. The team released him late in the 2002 season after he was charged with assaulting his wife. He then signed with Seattle, and spent three years with the Seahawks and two with the Chiefs before retiring in 2007. He was arrested on multiple charges, including unlawful possession of a handgun and a DUI, as well as possessing and attempting to deal cocaine, but he only received probation for those offenses.
The Panthers originally acquired the pick that became Poole in a trade on Draft Day in 1995. He had five interceptions in three years with Carolina, and 18 overall in 12 NFL seasons. Poole amassed 486 tackles, nine forced fumbles, six sacks and five fumble recoveries in his career, and he also won two titles as a member of the Patriots. With the Colts, he had five interceptions in 45 games over three seasons, including three in 1999.
Assessment: Poole was a role player, and Terry was on his way to a solid career before his temper and legal issues got in the way. PUSH
3. April 15, 2000:
Panthers received: Second- and fourth-round picks in the 2000 NFL Draft
Buccaneers received: Second-round pick in 2000
The first of the two picks Carolina acquired was the most notable. Former Tennessee safety Deon Grant was an All-American in high school and college. He started every game over four seasons with the Panthers, amassing 216 tackles and 11 interceptions in that span. Grant had 18 tackles during the 2003 playoffs, helping Carolina reach Super Bowl XXXVIII, a 32-29 loss to the Patriots. He got his revenge on New England as a member of the Giants when they won Super Bowl XLVI. The other pick was used on Mississippi State defensive tackle Alvin McKinley, who played just seven games with Carolina in 2000. He amassed 11½ sacks over eight seasons with the Panthers, Browns and Broncos.
Tampa Bay selected University of Tennessee guard Cosey Coleman, who was an All-American in high school and college as well as a member of the Volunteers’ National Championship Team in 1998. Coleman appeared in 71 games as a right guard with the Buccaneers and started in a victory over the Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII. He signed with the Broncos, where he played two more seasons before knee injuries forced him to retire in 2007.
Assessment: Grant and Coleman both were consistent NFL starters who appeared in Super Bowls for their original teams. PUSH
4. April 20, 2002:
Panthers received: Second- and fifth-round picks in the 2002 NFL Draft
Bengals received: Third-round pick in 2002
The first trade between the Panthers and Bengals brought Carolina their first star in quarterback Kerry Collins. The second led to the drafting of versatile linebacker Will Witherspoon in the second round. A Georgia product, Witherspoon amassed 354 tackles, eight sacks and seven interceptions in four seasons with Carolina. He had 13 tackles in the Panthers’ Super Bowl XXXVIII loss to the Patriots and 10 in the 2005 NFC Championship Game, a 34-14 loss to the Seahawks. The fifth-round selection was Syracuse fullback Kyle Johnson, who was cut by the Panthers in training camp as a rookie. He signed with the Broncos and had nine touchdowns in four seasons with Denver before retiring in 2007.
Cincinnati drafted Matt Schobel, a tight end from TCU. In four seasons with the Bengals, Schobel totaled 90 receptions, 938 yards, and nine touchdowns. He spent three seasons with the Eagles and retired in 2009.
Assessment: Witherspoon’s contributions during Carolina’s two deep playoff runs make the difference in this deal. PANTHERS
5. April 23, 2005:
Panthers received: Second- and two fourth-round picks in the 2005 NFL Draft
Seahawks received: A second-round pick in 2005
Carolina’s first pick from this trade was Eric Shelton, a running back who was a high school All-American before playing at Louisville. Shelton missed his rookie season due to a broken foot and rushed for just 23 yards before the Panthers released him in 2007. He retired after suffering a neck injury in 2008. The first of the fourth-round picks was Louisville quarterback Stefan LeFors, who served as a backup to Jake Delhomme and Chris Weinke as a rookie. He never appeared in an NFL game, but played in Canada for three seasons before he retired in 2010. LeFors is now the coach of Parkview Baptist High School in Louisiana. The other fourth-rounder (Saginaw Valley State guard Todd Herremans, who was an 11-year NFL veteran) was included in a trade that allowed Carolina to move up into the third round and select Atiyyah Ellison, a Missouri defensive lineman. Ellison was primarily a practice squad player with the Panthers (2005), Ravens (2006) and 49ers (2007). He made 16 tackles in a reserve role with the Jagaurs in 2009 and retired two years later after failing to get on the field with the Chiefs and Patriots in successive seasons.
Seattle’s selection was Mosiula “Lofa” Tatupa, a 2004 All-American and a two-time National Champion with USC. The son of former Patriots fullback Mosi Tatupu was selected to the Pro Bowl in his first three seasons and was named an All-Pro in 2007. As a rookie, he made nine tackles in Seattle’s 21-10 loss to the Steelers in Super Bowl XL. Overall, Tatupu registered 552 tackles, 10 interceptions, 8½ sacks and seven forced fumbles. He signed with the Falcons in 2012, but was released and later retired after suffering a torn pectoral.
Assessment: Tatupa was a three-time Pro Bowler and a Super Bowl starter while the three picks going the other way played a total of eight games with Carolina. SEAHAWKS
6. April 28, 2007:
Panthers received: First-, second- and fifth-round picks in the 2007 NFL Draft
Jets received: First- and sixth-round picks in 2007
Carolina moved down and still found a standout on defense. Former University of Miami linebacker Jon Beason was selected to three Pro Bowls and was an All-Pro in 2008, when he led the NFL with 110 solo tackles. He had 572 total stops, as well as nine interceptions and four sacks in parts of seven years before the Panthers traded him to the Giants early in the 2013 season. He appeared in 21 games with New York before he injured his knee and retired in 2016. In the second round, Carolina selected Ryan Kalil, a 2006 All-American at center at USC. Kalil was a five-time Pro Bowler and a two-time All-Pro who started 145 games over 12 seasons with the Panthers. He started eight playoff games, including Carolina’s loss to Denver in Super Bowl 50. Kalil retired in 2018, but came back to play with the Jets last season. He was placed on injured reserve after suffering a knee injury. The Panthers’ third pick was Tim Shaw, a linebacker from Penn State. Shaw played 14 games with the Panthers as a rookie, then spent one season each with the Jaguars and Bears and three with the Titans before he retired in 2013. The following year, he announced he had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (know as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s Disease), which causes neurons to break down and voluntary muscles to shut down.
New York’s major piece from this trade was Darrelle Revis, a cornerback with the University of Pittsburgh. With the Jets, Revis earned five Pro Bowl and three All-Pro selections. He was the league’s top cornerback for several years, earning the nickname “Revis Island” for his ability to take on the other team’s best receiver. Revis had 25 interceptions in eight seasons with the Jets, and also helped the team reach back-to-back AFC Championship Games in 2009 and ’10. He was traded to the Buccaneers in 2013 and signed with the Patriots the following year, winning a title with New England in Super Bowl XLIX. Revis returned to the Jets for two years, and spent one with the Chiefs before he retired in 2018. The sixth-round pick was packaged with two others, allowing the Jets to move back up into the second round and select Michigan linebacker David Harris, who played 10 years in New York and started two AFC title games. With the Jets, Harris had 35 sacks and 1,088 tackles, including seven seasons with 100 or more. He signed with the Patriots for one final season in 2017 before retiring.
Assessment: On one side, we have Revis, who was a star and Harris, who joined him on two AFC Championship teams. On the other side are Beason and Kalil, who combined for eight Pro Bowls, three All-Pro selections, and a title. PANTHERS (barely)
7. February 29, 2008:
Panthers received: Third- and fifth-round picks in the 2008 NFL Draft
Jets received: T Kris Jenkins
Carolina used the third-round pick on Charles Godfrey, a safety from Iowa. Godfrey had 355 tackles and 11 interceptions with Carolina, including five in 2010. He was released midway through the 2014 season and signed with Atlanta, where he spent his final year and a half before retiring in 2015. In the fifth round, the Panthers selected Louisville tight end Gary Barnidge, who was mostly a special teams contributor with Carolina. He had just 18 catches, and missed the 2011 season with a broken ankle. In 2013, though, Barnidge signed with the Browns, where he finally was able to show off his receiving talent. He was selected to his only Pro Bowl after posting career highs with 79 catches, 1,043 yards and nine touchdowns in 2015. Barnidge retired after being released by Cleveland in 2017.
Jenkins was a three-time Pro Bowler and a two-time All-Pro who had 20 ½ sacks in seven years with Carolina. He also had three tackles in a Super Bowl XXXVIII loss to the Patriots. With New York, Jenkins was a Pro Bowler in 2008, but he missed the Jets’ back-to-back AFC Championship Game appearances after suffering torn ACL’s both in 2009 and ’10. He retired after being released by the Jets in 2011.
Assessment: Jenkins went to one Pro Bowl with the Jets before injuries slowed him down. Although Godfrey didn’t earn any individual accolades, he was a solid starter for five seasons in Carolina. PANTHERS
8. April 25, 2009:
Panthers received: Second- and fourth-round picks in the 2009 NFL Draft
49ers received: A first-round pick in 2010
The Panthers used the second-round pick on Everette Brown, a defensive end from Florida State. Brown had six sacks in two seasons with Carolina, then spent one year each with the Chargers, Lions , Cowboys and Redskins before retiring in 2015. He served as Carolina’s assistant linebackers coach during the 2019 season. The fourth-rounder became Texas A&M running back Mike Goodson, who totaled 501 rushing, 329 receiving and 1,636 kick return yards in three seasons with the Panthers. He was traded to the Raiders in 2012 and signed with the Jets the following year, but did not play after getting suspended four games for a PED policy violation, then tearing his ACL and MCL. Goodson retired in 2014.
San Francisco’s first-round pick was Mike Iupati, a 2009 All-American guard from Idaho. Iupati’s accolades with the 49ers include three Pro Bowl selections, plus 2010 All-Rookie Team and 2012 All-Pro nods. He also started in a loss to the Ravens in Super Bowl XLVII and a defeat against the division-rival Seahawks in the 2013 NFC Championship Game. Iupati signed with the Cardinals and was selected to a Pro Bowl in 2015. He is about to start his second season with Seattle.
Assessment: Brown and Goodson were role players with Carolina, while Iupati has been one of the best at his position over his 10-year career. 49ERS
9. July 29, 2011:
Panthers received: TE Greg Olsen
Bears received: A third-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft
Olsen showed flashes of production, totaling 1,981 yards and 20 touchdowns in four seasons with Chicago. He went to another level after the trade, though, posting three straight 1,000-yard receiving campaigns from 2014-16 which resulted in three Pro Bowl selections. Olsen had six receptions for 113 yards in the 2015 NFC Championship Game victory over the Cardinals and four catches and 41 yards in a Super Bowl 50 loss to the Broncos. He ranks third in Panthers history with 524 receptions and 6,463 yards and fourth with 39 touchdowns. Olsen signed with the Seahawks in February 2020.
The Bears traded the pick from this deal (along with a 2013 third-rounder) to the Dolphins for wide receiver Brandon Marshall, who was selected to a pair of Pro Bowls in three seasons with Chicago. He earned All-Pro honors in 2012 after posting 1,508 yards and 11 touchdowns and followed that with 1,295 yards and 12 scores in 2013. Marshall was traded to the Jets in 2015, earning his sixth and final Pro Bowl selection after leading the NFL with 14 touchdowns.
Assessment: Marshall had three very good seasons with the Bears, but Olsen was a star with the Panthers, joining with Cam Newton to lead the team to Super Bowl 50. PANTHERS
10. April 27, 2018:
Panthers received: Fourth- and fifth-round picks in the 2018 NFL Draft
Packers received: A third-round pick in 2018
The Panthers believe they have found Olsen’s replacement with Ian Thomas, a fourth-round pick out of Indiana, who has posted 469 yards and three touchdowns in two seasons. Carolina sent the fifth-round pick, along with a sixth-rounder, to the Rams. The Panthers used the acquired fourth-round pick on Ole Miss linebacker Marquis Haynes, who has posted one sack in two seasons.
Green Bay drafted Vanderbilt linebacker Oren Burks in the third round. Burks has made 35 tackles in 26 games so far.
Assessment: Sometimes it is difficult to assess more recent trades, but Carolina believes in Thomas so much that Olsen was allowed to leave as a free agent. PANTHERS
All NFL statistics and awards courtesy of https://www.pro-football-reference.com/
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