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The Carolina Panthers may consider making another major move ahead of the NFL Draft. Just days after sending an absolute haul to the Chicago Bears to move up from pick nine to pick one, the team is reportedly considering moving down again.
The Panthers sent star wide receiver DJ Moore, the ninth overall pick, the 61st overall pick, their 2024 first-round pick and a 2025 second-round pick for the first selection in this draft.
The idea was for them to draft a franchise quarterback, but the Panthers may not be done moving around again.
According to NFL reporter, Frank Reich and company are genuinely mulling a trade down:
"Update: Panthers are indeed considering trading down from the 1st overall pick of the 2023 Draft. A third report now confirms, this one from ESPN. The Athletic and Charlotte Observer reported the same. If they have more than one QB prospect they like, they could trade down."
The team is reportedly split on who they want to take first overall. Owner David Tepper likes Bryce Young more, while Reich likes CJ Stroud per reports. If they are at an impasse, they could try to move down a bit to get whichever prospect remains.
The Panthers trading down won't work
Given that the Panthers just sent an absolute haul to the Bears (perhaps too much given the inclusion of the only reliable offensive player they had on the roster), trading down again makes very little sense.
They overpaid to get to pick one, but now they're not sure they want to pick there, which is a bit inept of them.
Either way, recouping some picks would be a good idea, but it won't happen in all likelihood. The Houston Texans pick second and likely don't care about moving up to first, knowing they'll get Stroud, Young or Anthony Robinson either way.
At three, the Cardinals don't need a quarterback, so they're primed to trade back with a team that does. That rules them out for a trade with Carolina.
Indianapolis isn't likely to move up to one since they can get any of those three that remain or Will Levis. Any other team behind them that wants a quarterback at number one overall will put Carolina too low for a top quarterback.
The only scenario where this works is if they can convince Arizona to move up, but the most likely option is that they'll have to settle on Young or Stroud and hope the other one doesn't turn out to be better.
