Panthers trade Denzel Perryman to Raiders

The Carolina Panthers have already moved on from their ‘big’ free agency move at linebacker.

The Carolina Panthers have traded linebacker Denzel Perryman and a 2022 seventh round pick to the Las Vegas Raiders for a 2022 6th round pick. Perryman was signed in March to a two year, six million dollar contract in an effort to plug the perception of a gaping hole at middle linebacker in the Panthers roster left in the wake of Luke Kuechly’s retirement before the 2020 season.

Perryman missed most of training camp due to a series of unrelated injuries. That gave Jermaine Carter, who has been with the team since they took him in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL draft, the opportunity to show his growth. Carter is in the last year of his rookie contract and ran with the opportunity presented by Perryman’s absence. Head coach Matt Rhule stated in a press conference yesterday that Carter is now the team’s starting middle linebacker. He also stated that Perryman was still in the team’s plans. Apparently those plans included swapping late round picks in Las Vegas.