Veteran linebacker and former first-round pick Shaq Thompson could very well be the next Carolina Panthers player headed out of town ahead of the NFL trade deadline on Nov. 1.
Carolina has already moved Pro Bowl running back Christian McCaffrey and wide receiver Robbie Anderson following the firing of head coach Matt Rhule. It is 1-5 on the season and has lost 12 of 13 dating back to last season. A full-scale fire sale could now be in the cards for general manager Scott Fitterer and Co.
If so, Thompson would draw a nice amount of interest from contending teams who need upgrades at the weakside linebacker spot. While he has not fully lived up to the expectations that came with being a first-round pick back in 2015, Thompson is still a quality starting backer. He could also net Carolina a couple more draft picks after the team picked up a combined six selections in the two aforementioned trades. Here’s a look at some ideal landing spots for Thompson.
Related: Sportsnaut’s updated NFL trade rumors
Las Vegas Raiders upgrade with Shaq Thompson
Vegas opted to go with former college safety Divine Deablo at weakside linebacker this season. It has not panned out with the second-year player yielding a 76% completion mark and 120.1 QB rating when targeted through six games.
Despite Vegas boasting the second-worst record in the NFL and looking to potentially selling off its own players, adding Thompson to the mix would be a long-term fix. He’s under contract for next season at $12.36 million. It’s a high cap hit, but one that could very well be lowered via a restructure. In turn, Carolina picks up a couple mid-round selections from the Raiders.
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New York Giants add to surprising defense
At 5-1 on the season, New York is among the biggest surprises in the game. It is coming off huge wins over the Green Bay Packers and Baltimore Ravens. One of the primary reasons for this is the performance of a defense that has yielded the seventh-fewest points in the game. Right now, Jaylon Smith is starting at the weakside in Jersey. The tapped out veteran has allowed all nine passes thrown in his direction to be completed. He’s not the answer.
- Shaq Thompson stats (2021): 104 tackles, nine tackles for loss, 6 QB hits, 5 passes defended, 2 INT, 68.0 QB rating allowed
Thompson, 28, has seen a decline in production thus far this season. But he was a darn good cover backer in 2021. New York could bank on him returning to form as the team looks to compete with the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC East moving forward.
Related: Sportsnaut’s updated NFL power rankings
Minnesota Vikings make move with Shaq Thompson
Jordan Hicks has never really been the answer as a good coverage linebacker. Since the start of the 2021 season, the veteran has allowed quarterbacks to complete 75% of the passes thrown in his direction. He’s also missed a whopping 15 tackles during that 23-game span. For a Vikings team that needs to find an Anthony Barr replacement, Thompson makes a ton of sense.
While Thompson has his own issues with missed tackles, he’s much better in coverage than Hicks. We can certainly see something coming to fruition on this end as new Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah looks for reinforcements after a surprisnig 5-1 start to the season. This would likely come at the cost of just a couple mid-round selections. It would be a nice buy-low move at a position of need. That’s for sure.