Carolina Panthers trade for Chargers defensive tackle ahead of NFL cut deadline
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The Carolina Panthers have made a trade to fortify their defensive line.
Panthers general manager Dan Morgan struck a deal with the Los Angeles Chargers right before the 6 p.m. roster deadline Sunday, trading for second-year defensive tackle TeRah Edwards.
Read more Carolina Panthers trade for Chargers defensive tackle ahead of NFL cut deadline
In exchange for Edwards, the Panthers are sending a 2028 sixth-round pick to the Chargers, the team announced.
Edwards, 25, spent five years in college — two at Northwestern and then three at Illinois. He joined the Chargers as an undrafted free agent ahead of the 2025 season. The Groveport Madison High School graduate from Groveport, Ohio, spent last year on the Chargers’ practice squad and has yet to play a snap in an NFL game, according to his Pro Football Reference page.
Still, the 6-foot-2, 305-pound defensive tackle has some upside in Morgan’s eyes. So much so that the Panthers’ GM opted to trade for him right before the deadline to avoid Edwards hitting the waiver wire and potentially getting scooped up by another team.
The Panthers could use some defensive line help. After a neck injury to Turk Wharton earlier this summer — one that is keeping him out “indefinitely,” the team has said — Carolina’s depth is lacking. Wharton was signed ahead of the 2025 season on a three-year deal worth up to $54 million with incentives after a successful first five seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs.
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Now, the Panthers’ defensive line unit is mostly young and unproven, save for NFL Top 100 run-stopper Derrick Brown. In addition to Brown and Edwards — as of Sunday’s initial roster cuts — the Panthers’ defensive unit includes free-agent pickup from a year ago Bobby Brown, undrafted rookie Aaron Hall, second-round draft pick rookie Lee Hunter and second-year player Cam Jackson.
Edwards had a notable preseason. He finished with four tackles in his preseason finale against the Rams. He also added two tackles against the 49ers the week prior and then another four against the Texans in the preseason opener.
His splashiest play, however, came in the 2025 preseason, when he intercepted Rams backup quarterback Stetson Bennett and nearly took it to the house.
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This story was originally published August 30, 2026 at 7:30 PM.
