Russell Wilson wasn’t supposed to be a storyline by Week 8 — at least not in this way. But after losing his starting job in New York to rookie Jaxson Dart, the former Super Bowl champ has been sitting quietly behind the scenes while the Giants keep picking up almost all of his contract. It’s not ideal for anyone involved, and if the right team came calling, there’s every reason to believe they’d be willing to listen.
Enter the Carolina Panthers. A month ago, it would’ve made no sense. But they've been on a heater and quarterback Bryce Young just went down with a high ankle sprain — per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero — so Andy Dalton is back under center, and veteran Mike White was just signed to the practice squad. Carolina is 4–3, and surprisingly in the playoff mix. Keeping things steady in a wide-open NFC South wouldn’t be the worst call.
They don’t have to trade for Wilson. But with a hot seat on the line for head coach Dave Canales, it wouldn’t be the worst idea either.
Panthers could make sense as low-risk landing spot for benched Russell Wilson
This obviously isn’t about upside or anything long-term. But if they aren't sold on The Red Rifle leading the way for more than a week or two, it's an interesting move.
Dalton completed four passes in relief last Sunday and managed the offense well enough. Even though Carolina would like Young back sooner rather than later, high ankle sprains can linger longer than expected. If Young misses more than just the Buffalo Bills in Week 8, every game becomes harder to manufacture, especially with their bye coming in Week 14.
Wilson’s current situation makes him easy to acquire. If the Panthers could land him for a late-round pick, it’s a cheap bet on experience. He’s not what he once was, but he did put up 450 yards and three touchdowns against Dallas earlier this year — a reminder there’s still some magic left in the moonball.
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It wouldn’t disrupt the locker room, and it wouldn’t interfere with Young’s standing as the franchise guy. It would buy them some time if they needed it.
This only makes sense if Young’s injury lingers. But if the recovery stretches past Week 9 or the division race tightens, there’s a veteran on ice in New York with just enough left in the tank to help. While it's an unlikely destination on the surface, if Dalton struggles and Young’s injury drags out, the Russ Bus might actually make a stop in Carolina after all.