Panthers willing to trade down from No. 1 pick originally appeared nbc sports chicago
The Carolina Panthers, who traded for the No. 1 pick on Friday, are willing to trade for more than one quarterback prospect in the draft if they see fit, according to Dov Clemons and Joe Person.
The person also reports that the Panthers have set their sights on CJ Stroud, a 6-foot-3, 215-pound prospect out of Ohio State. Stroud possesses physical promise and arm talent that is unique to his draftmates in Bryce Young, Will Lewis and Anthony Richardson.
More: Panthers are reportedly targeting CJ Stroud with the No. 1 pick
The Panthers will obviously do their due diligence with all quarterback prospects. Still, if they see more than one quarterback as a fit for their team, they may want to retain more draft assets through a trade.
He gave up the race to get the first pick in the draft. They traded the No. 9 and No. 61 picks in this draft, a 2024 first-rounder, a 2025 second-rounder and wide receiver DJ Moore to take up the premiership selection.
The trade is widely considered a win for the Bears, giving the Panthers the opportunity to end their vicious cycle of quarterbacks with an optimistic, long-term franchise signal caller.
Back in the 2022 draft, the Panthers passed on an Ohio State quarterback by the name of Justin Fields. The Panthers chose to draft defensive back Jesse Horn with the No. 8 pick, while Fields lost the No. 11 pick to the Bears. Obviously, they don’t want history to repeat itself.
Certainly, Stroud would have a different destiny than Fields, despite the same universities. However, Stroud should bring a more likely chance of success against a line of Panthers quarterbacks who have tried and failed in recent history.
