Panthers Reportedly Shopping Star Guard Trai Turner
By Karl Rasmussen
The Carolina Panthers still face some uncertainty regarding their future at quarterback, and it now appears that the team is willing to part with one of their key pass protectors as well in Year One under new head coach Matt Rhule.
According to ESPN's Jenna Laine, the Panthers have dangled five-time Pro Bowl offensive guard Trai Turner in trade talks ahead of the new league year.
The #Panthers have shopped five-time Pro Bowl G Trai Turner, per @JennaLaineESPN. Just 26 years old...
— NFL Update (@MySportsUpdate) March 2, 2020
Turner is under contract through 2021, having penned a four-year, $45 million deal with the team in 2017, with $20.5 million in guaranteed money. He carries a $12.8 million cap hit in 2020 and, should the Panthers cut him outright, owns a dead cap value of just over $9.5 million.
The 26-year-old has made the Pro Bowl in five straight seasons, having only missed out in his rookie campaign. He's started 13 games in each of the past three years.
The Panthers are reportedly shopping Trai Turner, which effectively means everyone is available https://t.co/hKT2z7hbtf
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) March 2, 2020
Across 84 career games, he has been penalized 31 times, and is coming off a 2019 season that saw him flagged for holding just once.
Turner could be a coveted asset on the trade market, and the Panthers could acquire some solid draft capital in exchange for the talented offensive lineman.