Picking up former No. 3 overall pick Sam Darnold via trade with the New York Jets earlier this month, the Carolina Panthers seem to have their guy at quarterback heading into the 2021 season.
With their QB situation seemingly sorted out, the Charlotte franchise’s top-10 draft pick holds far less weight than it once did. Carolina now has the opportunity to trade back in the order with a team still looking to draft a quarterback or top skill position player from this year’s stacked class.
According to reports from ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter, the Panthers are currently looking into this option. The team has reportedly been involved in conversations with multiple NFL franchises in regards to their No. 8 overall pick.
Carolina Panthers have had conversations with other teams about potentially trading back in the draft from pick No. 8, per source. There are all sorts of ongoing trade conversations between teams, let’s see what next week brings.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 20, 2021
Giving up only a 2021 sixth-round pick and a second-round/fourth-round pick in 2022, the trade made for this No. 8 pick could help the Panthers make some significant headway in future draft capital. A team looking from the outside in may be willing to give up something significant for a chance to select one of the many highly-touted options in this year’s draft.
If a team is looking for a guarantee at the quarterback position, Carolina’s No. 8 may be high enough to guarantee landing a top-five QB talent. With the No. 5 Bengals and No. 6 Dolphins both seemingly locked in with their young quarterback options from the 2020 draft, the No. 8 position would give a franchise a good shot at selecting one of the fringe top-five prospects (ie. Mac Jones, Trey Lance, Justin Fields).
On the flip side, the Panthers could used their pick as an opportunity to buff up the offensive unit surrounding their new QB. Whether it be an offensive lineman like Penei Sewell or a receiver option like Kyle Pitts, a top-10 pick from this draft could certainly help Darnold settle in with his new franchise.
Either way, Carolina has a lot to think about as we approach draft night on April 29.
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