The Philadelphia Eagles received a massive return for defensive tackle Jordan Davis prior to Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline. Jacksonville sent the Eagles a 2027 first-round pick and a 2029 second-round pick for the defensive tackle that the Eagles selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

This move should be of interest to Carolina Panthers fans, considering that defensive tackle Derrick Brown was mentioned in various trade rumors prior to the deadline. Reports stated that several teams had inquired about the Panthers’ best defensive player.

While the Eagles received an offer that was too good to turn down, the Panthers decided not to move on from Derrick Brown. General manager Dan Morgan chose to keep one of the Panthers’ best players on the team.

Did the Panthers miss out on an opportunity with Derrick Brown after seeing the return that the Eagles got for Jordan Davis? There are some differences between the two players and the situations of the two teams that must be taken into consideration.

The Eagles Received an Offer They Couldn't Turn Down

The Eagles received two valuable draft picks from Jacksonville for Davis, who had become an important part of their defensive line.

Davis was a member of the Eagles’ Super Bowl-winning team and was named a team captain in 2026, according to Philadelphia’s official announcement of the trade.

But Philadelphia had other players on the defensive line that it could use as well.

The Eagles have several other good defensive players on the team, including former first-round pick Jalen Carter, Moro Ojomo, Byron Young, and Ty Robinson. The Eagles had the depth at the position to make trading Davis an option.

The Eagles were 2-7 before the trade deadline. Adding future draft picks makes sense for a team that is in a difficult position right now.

Carolina wasn’t in quite the same position.

Derrick Brown Means More to Carolina's Defense

While Brown’s name was mentioned prior to the trade deadline, the Panthers were clear that they were not interested in trading the defensive tackle.

According to Athlon Sports' reporting on NFL insider Jordan Schultz, several teams inquired about Brown, but Carolina wasn't looking to move him.

The organization clearly believes in Brown.

The Panthers are already struggling with issues in the secondary due to injuries, and Carolina’s defense is not consistently putting pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Removing Brown would create another hole on Carolina’s defensive line.

The Panthers already have Brown under contract through the 2028 season, and he can be part of Carolina’s core of players as the team continues to build around him.

The Panthers have been trying to build a complete team for years, and trading away one of the team’s best defensive players would be a huge risk. There is no guarantee that a first-round pick would turn out to be as good as Brown.

While the Eagles had several options to replace the production of defensive tackle Jordan Davis, the Panthers do not have the same luxury with Brown.

Did Dan Morgan Miss an Opportunity?

There is still a legitimate argument that Morgan should have at least considered what another team might have offered for Brown. Jacksonville gave up two premium picks for Davis, and Brown is one of Carolina's best players.

There was interest in Brown from other teams, but that doesn't mean Carolina would have received the same offer Philadelphia got for Davis.

While Carolina received calls on Brown, there has been no confirmed report of a team offering a first-round pick and a second-round pick in a trade for him.

Another problem with trading Brown is that it would have left the Panthers with approximately $33.15 million in dead money on their 2026 salary cap, according to Athlon Sports, citing Over the Cap. That is roughly $22.2 million more against the cap than keeping Brown.

That’s a lot of money for a team that was already working with limited salary cap space.

Carolina entered the trade deadline leading the NFC South with a 3-5 record. While the Panthers have a lot of work to do, they are still in a position to compete for a division title.

Morgan would have had to compare the value of the future draft picks to the value of having Brown on the team, as well as the salary cap hit the team would take on by trading him.

The Panthers have eight picks in the 2027 NFL Draft to add young talent to the team, so the need to trade away one of the team’s best defensive players is not as great as it would be for the Eagles.

The Eagles made a good move by trading Davis for two valuable draft picks. But Philadelphia was in a better position to absorb the loss of a starting defensive tackle.

For Carolina, the decision wasn't quite that simple.

Unless another team was willing to offer something that Morgan simply couldn't refuse, keeping Brown was the better decision for the Panthers.