Carolina Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer revealed the very moment in which he knew he had to pull the trigger on the biggest trade in franchise history, one that may have dramatically changed the landscape for multiple organizations.
On Monday’s episode of The Adam Schefter Podcast, Fitterer recalled the moments leading up to the team’s acquisition of the 2023 NFL draft’s No. 1 overall selection. He told Schefter that after tabling conversations with Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles at the combine about a possible deal, the pick became an extremely hot commodity—leading to Carolina’s run to the top of the board.
“And then I come back to Charlotte on Monday, and it’s not Tuesday, and I get word that—kinda through secondhand sources—that Chicago may be trying to move the pick right then,” he said. “There might be teams interested. And, as you all know, things are happening behind the scenes. That’s the point where I got most nervous. And I was like, ‘Oh my God.’
“So I jump on the phone, I call Mr. Tepper, I call Ryan and said, ‘Hey, listen. Don’t do anything. Give us an opportunity here to jump back in.”
And jump back in they did—sending the ninth overall pick, the 61st overall pick, a 2024 first-rounder, a 2025 second-rounder and wideout DJ Moore to Chicago for the first selection. That move, of course, was made to position themselves for a franchise quarterback—something the team sitting in the No. 2 overall spot apparently wanted as well.
When he couldn’t get Fitterer to bite on revealing which teams were interested, Schefter went on to state that the Houston Texans were in the thick of it.
“I remember that week, getting word that the Houston Texans were very close to completing a trade for the No. 1 overall pick,” the ESPN senior NFL insider said. “At one point in time, they were very close to getting that pick, I believe.”
Well, the quicker bird (or the bird that was willing to trade their star receiver) got the worm.
