Panthers wide receiver Diontae Johnson and Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk are available as the NFL trade deadline approaches.
Those two have both been the subject of talks ahead of the NFL’s November 5 trade deadline, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
The wide receiver market has been hot this season, with wide receivers Davante Adams (Raiders to the Jets), Amari Cooper (Browns to the Bills) and DeAndre Hopkins (Titans to the Chiefs) all getting traded.
Johnson and Kirk make sense because the Panthers and Jaguars are two of the worst teams in the league, and they’d like to move on from veteran players and acquire more draft picks. The 28-year-old Johnson would cost a team trading for him about $3.5 million for the rest of the season, while the 27-year-old Kirk would cost about $8 million, unless a trade also included a re-worked contract.
Johnson has 30 catches for 357 yards this season. Kirk has 25 catches for 320 yards this season.
The Panthers made a number of moves at the safety spot ahead of Sunday’s game against the Broncos.
They placed Nick Scott on injured reserve, activated Sam Franklin from the same list and signed Russ Yeast to the active roster. They passed on making another one by not activating Jordan Fuller from injured reserve.
Scott appeared in every game this season and started the last four contests. He has 28 tackles and two passes defensed.
Franklin has yet to play this year after injuring his foot over the summer while Yeast has made one appearance.
The Panthers also elevated quarterback Jack Plummer and cornerback Caleb Farley from the practice squad. Plummer will back up Bryce Young with Andy Dalton sidelined by a right thumb injury.
A preview of the Panthers-Broncos matchup as well as a look at the rest of this week’s action can be found here.
Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II was cleared from concussion protocol and has no injury designation for Sunday.
He will return to play against the Panthers after missing the Week 7 game against the Saints, which came four days after being diagnosed with a concussion.
Surtain returned to practice this week as a full participant all three days.
“I’m feeling good,” Surtain said Friday, via Susanna Weir of the team website. “Everything feels back to normal. Ready to get back out there for the guys, for sure.”
The Broncos list safety P.J. Locke (thumb) as doubtful after missing the past two days of practice. He was limited Wednesday.
Offensive tackle Alex Palczewski (ankle) is questionable after three limited practices. He did not play against the Saints last week.
Right tackle Mike McGlinchey (knee) improved to a full participant on Friday and has no injury designation.
Bryce Young will be back at quarterback for the Panthers on Sunday, but he’ll be short on targets.
The Panthers ruled wide receivers Diontae Johnson and Adam Thielen out for their game against the Broncos. Johnson has a rib injury while Thielen will remain on injured reserve with his hamstring injury through the weekend.
Andy Dalton missed practice for the third straight day with the right thumb injury he suffered in a Tuesday car accident and has been listed as doubtful. That suggests Jack Plummer will be elevated from the practice squad to serve as Young’s backup.
Cornerback Dane Jackson (hamstring) and running back Jonathon Brooks (knee) are also listed as doubtful while safety Nick Scott (hamstring), safety Jordan Fuller (hamstring), linebacker D.J. Wonnum (quad), and safety Jammie Robinson (knee) have been ruled out.
Defensive end A’Shawn Robinson (knee), linebacker Claudin Cherelus (hamstring), linebacker Josey Jewell (hamstring, groin), right tackle Taylor Moton (groin), tackle Yosh Nijman (knee), tight end Tommy Tremble (knee), linebacker Jadeveon Clowney (shoulder), defensive tackle Jaden Crumedy (ankle), and safety Sam Franklin (personal, foot) are listed as questionable.
Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton sprained his right thumb in a car wreck Tuesday. He remained out of practice Thursday.
Bryce Young will start Sunday, but the Panthers are hoping Dalton will be available to backup the second-year quarterback.
Coach Dave Canales said Wednesday that Dalton will try to practice this week, so it remains to be seen whether Dalton will be able to throw the ball.
The Panthers had six changes to their long practice report.
They added kicker Eddy Pineiro, who didn’t practice, with a personal absence. Defensive end A’Shawn Robinson (knee) returned to practice with limited work, and safety Jammie Robinson (knee) ad outside linebacker D.J. Wonnum (quad) went from limited to not practicing.
Safety Sam Franklin Jr. (personal/foot) went from not practicing Wednesday to a full participant Thursday, and linebacker Jon Rhattigan (knee) from limited work Wednesday to full participation.
Cornerback Dane Jackson (hamstring), wide receiver Diontae Johnson (rib) and safety Nick Scott (hamstring) remained out of practice.
