Panthers: Latest quarterback rumors ahead of Super Bowl

The Carolina Panthers are expected to make a big splash at quarterback this offseason.

Look for the Carolina Panthers to be in the market to upgrade the quarterback position.

Carolina moved on from former head coach Matt Rhule a third of the way through last season. While Steve Wilks did a remarkable job in the interim, Carolina opted to hire former Panthers quarterback and Indianapolis Colts head coach Frank Reich to lead them going forward. Reich has hired his former head coach Dom Capers, as well as Josh McCown to coach up the quarterbacks.

Here are the latest Panthers quarterback rumors in the hours leading up to Super Bowl 57.

Latest Carolina Panthers quarterback rumors ahead of Super Bowl 57

Derek Carr could potentially be traded over to the Carolina Panthers

If the Panthers are going to be looking at trading for a quarterback this offseason, Derek Carr of the Las Vegas Raiders would be at the top of the list for them. Carr would be the fourth retread quarterback for Carolina in a row after Cam Newton’s fall from grace. ESPN’s Chris Mortensen mentioned on Sunday there “could be some synergy there” between Carr, Reich and McCown.

Carr has played his last down in Las Vegas. After nine seasons with the Silver and Black, he will be joining a new team this offseason. The Raiders are looking for a third-round pick for the Pro Bowl signal-caller. He does have a no-trade clause he must waive. The expectation is he will be going to an NFC South team. Carolina is in the mix, but he has already visited with the New Orleans Saints, a visit that has lasted several days.

New Carolina Panthers quarterbacks coach Josh McCown likes C.J. Stroud

With McCown coming aboard as the new quarterbacks coach, he did touch on what he likes about the two best quarterback prospects in this draft class, including C.J. Stroud out of Ohio State. Carolina has the No. 9 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, so they are going to have to trade up for Stroud in all likelihood. Here is what McCown said about him when talking to Underdog Fantasy.

You can tell in McCown’s tone that he is really impressed with what Stroud brings to the table physically and emotionally. The tape he put out from the narrow defeat to Georgia in the Peach Bowl will get him drafted well inside of the top 10. The only issue for Carolina is that three teams who need quarterbacks are picking ahead of the Panthers in Houston, Indianapolis and Las Vegas.

Carolina Panthers are contemplating trading up to draft Bryce Young

McCown also evaluated Alabama’s Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Bryce Young. While he said there is a lot to like about Young’s playmaking abilities, his small stature will be an issue for him to navigate throughout the draft process. This may not be an issue for Houston or Las Vegas, but Reich is not about short quarterbacks and the Colts are probably looking at a bigger guy, too.

While Stroud could conceivably fall to Carolina picking at No. 9, that is not happening with Young. He probably does not make it past Houston at No. 2. Keep in mind that fellow Alabama alum DeMeco Ryans is taking over the Texans operation. He may be a defensive-minded head coach, but Houston is in dire need of some juice. Young can provide any team with it, including Carolina.

Other thoughts about the Carolina Panthers quarterback situation

While Carr could be a nice fit for Carolina, the Saints feel like the better landing spot for him. He could be in the mix to go to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as well, but I don’t see the Atlanta Falcons being all that interested in him. We may also want to assess the viability of other teams outside of the division, whether that is the Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets or Washington Commanders.

When it comes to McCown’s praise of Stroud, it would not be the least bit shocking if Carolina moved up from No. 9 to get their guy. The Panthers would have to get ahead of the Colts picking at No. 4, but Indianapolis could have an affinity for Will Levis coming out of Kentucky or Anthony Richardson coming out of Florida. It really depends on who Jim Irsay hires as their next head coach.

Although Stroud seems like the best fit for what Carolina wants, Levis is not a bad option if the Panthers stand pat at No. 9. He really thrived playing in Liam Coen’s system at UK two years ago. Richardson is a reach at No. 9, but trading back, picking him up and then having him back up someone like Carr for a year or two is not a terrible idea. He cannot start for Carolina in Week 1.

As far as internal options at quarterback are concerned, only Matt Corral and Jacob Eason are under contract for 2023. Sam Darnold and P.J. Walker are hitting free agency. Maybe one of them comes back, but that does not feel likely with Reich taking over. Corral did have a lot of promise coming out of Ole Miss, but he did not play a down for the Panthers during his rookie season.

Overall, the Panthers need to be aggressive if they want to make headway in a murky NFC South. While New Orleans is treading water and Tampa Bay is trending down, Atlanta seems to be on the uptick as well. Although the Falcons could conceivably trade for Lamar Jackson or sign Jimmy Garoppolo as a free agent, they may roll the dice with Desmond Ridder just to see what he has.

Ultimately, the Panthers are best served to go all-in on a quarterback in the 2023 NFL Draft. They have done the retread thing too many times in a row for that to be a satisfying option. Ideally, Stroud should top their list, but finding the right trade partner is easier said than done. Settling for Levis or moving back to draft Richardson could be viable options to explore, but Stroud is the guy.

Once the Panthers hire their next offensive coordinator, we may have some more clarity over this.