Carolina Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer must be feeling like a kid in a candy store right now.
The draft-pick merchant may be at it again, as a report from Mike Giardi on Wednesday indicates the team is sniffing out every possible deal as we inch closer to April 28. With the Panthers in possession of this spring’s sixth overall pick, the NFL Network insider notes they’ve been in contact with multiple front offices regarding a potential swap out of the position.
Important to note that, per league sources, the #Panthers have talked to numerous teams about moving back from 6 (they don’t have another pick until #137). Picking a QB in top 10 might be too much but picking one in the mid first is more palatable and gets them more draft capital https://t.co/8RleRXQxke
— Mike Giardi (@MikeGiardi) April 13, 2022
A trade-down may very well ease the burden a bit on Fitterer and head coach Matt Rhule as they head into a particularly important 2022 campaign. With no surefire answers coming out of this year’s quarterback class and the team void of any second or third-round selections, moving off that No. 6 spot would recoup some of that lost capital—assets they lost in their 2021 acquisitions of quarterback Sam Darnold and cornerback CJ Henderson.
It’ll also likely give Carolina a better value at the quarterback position if they choose to take that path. As Giardi suggests, a mid-first round investment on a passer—specifically from this group—is considered a much easier risk to swallow than doing so with that sixth pick.
On the other hand, would the Panthers be passing up on a franchise pillar? Could one of the left tackles—Evan Neal, Ikem Ekwonu or Charles Cross—be there to finally solidify the blindside? Or would they be missing out on the sky-high potential of Liberty University’s Malik Willis under center?
