The Carolina Panthers have been making the rounds at the pro days for the top quarterback prospects.
The Panthers brought ownership, front office, and coaching principals to the Ohio State pro day where C.J. Stroud went through his workouts. The Panthers brass also showed up that night in Tuscaloosa to have dinner with Alabama quarterback Bryce Young ahead of his pro day.
When the Chicago Bears possessed the No. 1 overall pick, quarterback was immaterial as Houston could have their pick of the field, even though presumably the Texans’ guy has been Young all along.
With Carolina courting Stroud and Young aggressively, it shows the Panthers will be making their decision for the next month until the 2023 NFL draft between those two signal callers. Essentially Houston will be taking the leftovers between those prospects.
However, it could be that the Panthers have no idea yet who they really want to take. When they made the trade with the Bears, they weren’t necessarily getting “their guy” as much as the right to take who they felt was the best of the four-quarterback field — whether it overlays with the consensus or not.
Consider the Panthers are also going to Kentucky’s pro day Friday. It isn’t just coach Frank Reich either; the same entourage that went to Columbus, Ohio, and Tuscaloosa, Alabama, made way to Lexington, Kentucky to roll out the red carpet for Will Levis.
If the Panthers make the same type of trip to Gainesville, Florida on March 30 to watch Anthony Richardson throw, it really underscores that they don’t know who they are taking atop the draft.
Consider what the Texans were doing on the same day Young was throwing at his pro day. Instead of getting a glimpse at Young making his lone workout of the draft prep season, general manager Nick Caserio was at the University of Houston’s pro day.
The Texans met with Young at the NFL combine. They already know what he can bring to an organization. The Texans know enough about the quarterback situation and where they stand at No. 2 overall to save money on jet fuel.
