I’m admittedly confused what the Panthers are trying to do.
At this point, with a 3-7 record and a no starting quarterback in sight, it would behoove Carolina to better position itself in the NFL Draft, but the Panthers don’t really look like they have plans to do so.
Last week, Carolina defeated Atlanta, 25-15, on Thursday night. As things stand, the Panthers are now in line for the third pick in the NFL Draft, with Houston (1-7-1) currently at No. 1 and Las Vegas (2-7) at No. 2.
This year’s NFL Draft class features two premier quarterback prospects — Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud. There’s a big drop off between those two and the current No. 3, Kentucky’s Will Levis. Several mock recent mock drafts have Levis landing in Charlotte, something that makes me sicker than if I put mayo in my coffee — something Levis ACTUALLY DOES. This man should be in jail. But I digress.
If the Panthers don’t wind up with the No. 1 or 2 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, they might find it best to kick the can down the road and wait another year for a QB in 2024, perhaps UNC’s Drake Maye, but doing so would ensure another mediocre season in Carolina.
I also don’t trust the team’s front office to find a veteran to bridge the gap between now and the team finds a future franchise quarterback. Over the past three seasons, the Panthers have brought in Teddy Bridgewater, Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield, and none of the three has proven capable of being a reliable starting quarterback in the league. They also gave up draft capital for the latter two.
Speaking of draft capital, the Panthers acquired some before the trade deadline by moving Christian McCaffrey to the San Francisco 49ers, but should the team have gone more all-in toward a complete rebuild?
According to multiple reports, Carolina was offered a first round pick by Green Bay for receiver D.J. Moore, while the Rams reportedly offered two firsts and a second for defensive end Brian Burns. For a team with holes at multiple different positions, I’m not sure the Panthers are in a place to turn down a haul of that size, no matter how talented Burns and Moore are.
With seven games to play this season, the saving grace for Carolina could be its final stretch of schedule. The Panthers catch 6-3 Baltimore on the road in Week 11 before returning to play Baltimore in Week 12. After a bye in Week 13, the Panthers are on the road at Seattle, which currently leads the NFC West at 6-4.
The Panthers also end the year with two straight road games against divisional opponents — Tampa Bay and New Orleans. Two of Carolina’s three wins are actually against the Bucs and Saints, but the Panthers have lost their last three games in Tampa and six of their last seven in New Orleans.
It might not be fun to watch, but I’m hoping the Panthers bottom out this year and realize the best way forward is to get one of these top two quarterbacks. If anyone involved with the team is interested in keeping a job, this should be their mindset the rest of the season.
Sports Editor Jeremy Vernon can be reached at jeremy@chathamnr.com or on Twitter at @jbo_vernon.