The Carolina Panthers made an enormous splash on Friday by buying and selling 4 draft picks and buying and selling huge receiver DJ Moore to the Chicago Bears for the highest choose in subsequent month’s NFL Draft.
After a season the place they cycled by way of three subpar beginning quarterbacks, they’re now positioned to draft somebody like Bryce Younger or CJ Stroud who may very nicely be their franchise sign caller for years to come back.
You would possibly suppose Carolina severely emptied their cabinet of draft picks to take action, however Tom Pelissero identified that they are going to have a second choose this 12 months.
The #Panthers paid an enormous value to leap from No. 9 to No. 1, however value noting: They nonetheless have a second choose (No. 39) this 12 months, and so they did not have to surrender their first-round choose in 2025. The Christian McCaffrey commerce added flexibility. Now they will go get their QB.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 10, 2023
The saving grace was the Christian McCaffrey commerce in October, which netted the crew 4 draft picks, together with a second and third this 12 months, from the San Francisco 49ers.
Dropping Moore will harm, as he has been a productive huge receiver over the previous couple of years, however the Panthers aren’t precisely making an attempt to win now.
They received simply seven video games in 2022 and made some notable adjustments, together with buying and selling McCaffrey and changing head coach Matt Rhule with Frank Reich.
Had Younger or Stroud been drafted by the Bears, he would have been taking part in for a franchise that has craved success for many years whereas taking part in in one of many nation’s largest markets.
As a substitute, whoever the Panthers take with the primary general choose can have the luxurious of having the ability to develop and develop at their very own tempo.
Friday’s deal appears to be like prefer it may very nicely be a kind of uncommon trades that helps each groups transferring ahead.
NEXT:
Panthers are rumored to draft 1 QB after huge commerce
