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NFL Draft: Will Panthers make a trade?

By Brandon Scott

PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 27: A detailed view of the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft at the Philadelphia Museum of Art on April 27, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 27: A detailed view of the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft at the Philadelphia Museum of Art on April 27, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images) /
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The Carolina Panthers may be poised for some potential trades during the NFL Draft…

Carolina Panthers general manager Marty Hurney is a veteran of the NFL Draft. Having previously served in the same role for the franchise in over a decade worth of drafts, his experience will be beneficial to the franchise.

Hurney was previously known for doling out huge contracts which inevitably put the Panthers in a tight budget crunch with little cap room available for talent. Ultimately, this practice coupled with a poor start to the 2012 season (1-5) led to his firing.

Regardless of his previous performance, there is no denying that Hurney had a knack for the NFL Draft, especially in the first-round and is responsible for the core group of players currently on both sides of the football.

During his previous tenure, Hurney drafted Julius Peppers, Jordan Gross, Chris Gamble, Travelle Wharton, Thomas Davis, DeAngelo Williams, Jon Beason, Ryan Kalil, Charles Johnson, Jonathan Stewart, Captain Munnerlyn, Cam Newton, Luke Kuechly and Josh Norman – all impact players and six remain contributors today.

Tight end Greg Olsen was another Hurney addition, made via trade for a third-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. No stranger to making such moves, Hurney dealt many picks during his previous tenure, including first-round selections for both 2009 and 2010.

Currently armed with eight picks overall in the 2018 NFL Draft, Hurney could be willing to make a similar move should the draft not fall in his favor. Expected to be on the clock at No. 24 in the first-round, should a player the Panthers favor no longer be available, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Hurney deal the pick.

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Doing so would allow him to potentially stockpile another second and third round selection, giving Carolina an opportunity to make five picks over the next two rounds. Whether the prospects selected would compensate for a first-round pick remains to be seen but given the current state of the roster and anticipated unfolding of the draft, it may very well be the right move.

On the other hand, if Hurney is set on landing an immediate starter at a position of need then he could pair a third-round pick (or both) with the first-round and attempt to move up to get the guy they want.

While this is a less likely scenario, the overall depth at many of the positions of need for Carolina is lacking in this year’s draft. Instead of having to wait until next year in hopes of finding a long-term answer, Hurney may decide to go all-in and make a move.

Next: NFL Draft - 5 Safety Targets

No one knows for sure and a lot will depend on how the NFL Draft begins to unfold, but a trade is not out of the question for Carolina at this point.

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