The Carolina Panthers shocked the NFL world earlier this offseason when they pulled off a trade with the Chicago Bears that landed them the top overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. After a tumultuous 2022 campaign, the Panthers put themselves in a great spot to land their quarterback of the future in the draft, and everyone began to wonder who they would take with their top selection.
However, it looks like fans may have jumped the gun a bit, because now rumors are floating around that suggest Carolina could end up trading out of the top overall selection of the draft now. The Panthers are doing their due diligence on the current quarterback class, and if they end up liking multiple quarterbacks available, they could end up trading back down a few spots.
This is a pretty interesting strategy from the Panthers if this does end up being true, but it must be accounted for if it does end up happening. And if Carolina does decide to move this pick, there will surely be a handful of teams that are interested in making a deal with them. So if the Panthers do move this pick, let's take a look at three teams that should consider trying to move their way up to the top pick in the draft.
3. Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons took a flier on Marcus Mariota in 2022, and well, it didn't really work out. Desmond Ridder showed some promise when tasked with filling in for Mariota down the stretch, but the Falcons probably shouldn't bank on him being their quarterback of the future. They also signed Taylor Heinicke in free agency, but Heinicke isn't a long-term answer at the position either.
The Falcons are in a bit of a strange position, as they could try to let Ridder prove he's made for the job, but even then, early indications suggest he will be competing for the starting job with Heinicke. A quarterback depth chart consisting of any combination of Ridder and Heinicke isn't exactly enticing, and while Ridder has upside, Atlanta could make a swing for the fences if they feel great about any one of these quarterbacks.
As of right now, it seems more likely that the Falcons will roll with this current combination and hope to find a guy they like in the 2024 draft next year. Plus, by pulling off this trade, the Panthers would find themselves in virtually the same spot as they were before making their trade with the Bears. But if Atlanta could blow Carolina out of the water with their trade package, it could become a possibility.
2. Houston Texans
One way or another, the Houston Texans are going to end up with a new quarterback in the 2023 NFL Draft. The Davis Mills experiment went about as poorly as expected, so now it's time for Houston to find their quarterback of the future. With the second overall pick of the draft, they are going to find that guy one way or another.
The incentive for the Texans to make this deal is smaller than other teams considering their draft position. However, if they like one of the top quarterbacks far more than the other available options, it makes sense to make the jump. Likewise, if the Panthers feel similarly about multiple QBs, it makes a lot of sense to pick up another draft pick just to move down a spot.
As we will see in a second, the Texans aren't the most likely team to make a move here, partly because they have kept their cards close to their chest in the early going. But if they feel strongly about anyone in this draft, the Panthers will probably be most willing to make a move with the Texans, making Houston a team to keep an eye on if Carolina decides to move this pick.
1. Indianapolis Colts
From the moment the Chicago Bears began to lean towards trading the top pick in the draft, the Indianapolis Colts seemed like the most likely suitor for the pick. It was even surprising that the Panthers, not the Colts, ended up being the one making the move for this pick. And yet, the Colts could still end up finding their way to the top spot after all.
If the Panthers move this pick, it seems like the Colts are the team with the most incentive to make a deal here. They are also going to be taking a quarterback in this draft one way or another, but with the fourth overall pick, they find themselves in a much worse spot than they likely want to be in. It seems like Indy wants to be in position to control their future, rather than picking at the crumbs left behind from the teams ahead of them.
The Colts have always seemed like the best fit for the top pick in this draft, and if the Panthers do decide that they want to move down after trading up to the top pick, Indianapolis should, and likely will be, the top suitor for the pick. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out, but it doesn't look like the NFL draft pick drama is over just yet.
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