An NFL analyst has finally found a way to get the Carolina Panthers and Brian Burns another standout pass rusher! But they’ll just need a time machine to do it.
Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport recently realigned the 2018 NFL draft. Instead of grabbing University of Maryland wide receiver DJ Moore, who was swiped by the Baltimore Ravens at No. 16 in this redo, the Panthers grabbed Florida State University defensive end Josh Sweat with the 24th overall pick:
Like the Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills, the Carolina Panthers struggled rushing the passer in 2018, checking in 27th in the NFL with 35 sacks. It’s one of the reasons why they drafted Brian Burns with the 16th overall pick the following season.
This time, the Panthers will have a running mate ready for him.
Originally a fourth-round pick of the Eagles in 2018, it took Josh Sweat a while to get going. He played sparingly as a rookie and posted only 10 sacks over his first three NFL seasons. But in 2021, the lightbulb came on, and he finished with 45 total tackles, 7.5 sacks and a trip to the Pro Bowl.
In 2022, that lightbulb turned up the brightness to blinding. Sweat logged career-bests in both tackles (48) and sacks (11) on Philly’s way to the Super Bowl.
Sweat, Burns’ old Seminole teammate from 2016 and 2017, also posted career-bests in stops (32) and quarterback hits (23). He, additionally, got his highest Pro Football Focus grades in overall defense (86.6) and in pass rushing (82.1).
Wait, so does this mean the Panthers would eventually have to trade Sweat in the package for the first overall pick of the 2023 draft . . . ?
