Panthers Draft: Tommy Stevens saga devoid of football logic

Panthers Draft: Why the Stevens trade made no sense

No sooner had the New Orleans Saints “got one over” on the Carolina Panthers by taking Tommy Stevens, the organization went into free agency to pick up Jameis Winston on a short-term deal.

Hall of Fame-bound quarterback Drew Brees is heading into what is expected to be his final season before retirement. The Saints also have high hopes for Taysom Hill, who Sean Payton has earmarked as the long-term successor and placed a first-round tender on him to prevent him from leaving for nothing this offseason.

This leaves Stevens’ chances of making the roster as slim. If they decide to part ways with him after training camp, the Panthers could still pick him up on waivers. This also represents a better chance for the prospect to make an NFL team during his rookie season.

The move is a strange one and represents the superiority complex that Payton seems to have acquired during his time at the helm. Nothing ever seems to be his fault when things don’t go the Saints’ way. And whether the head coach thinks it or not, he is under enormous pressure to bring another Super Bowl back to the franchise in 2021 given their underachievement last term.

This cannot be said of the Panthers, who are in the early stages of a rebuild and it is a process that is going to take considerable time. That is what also makes the move peculiar. If it was a fellow contender the Saints didn’t want Stevens to make up with, it would have made more sense.

Instead, they gave up a pick next year for a player that has little hope of making their 53-man squad. While Payton might like what he sees in the quarterback, it was a short-sighted move done more out of spite than anything.

It might have been a bit of late-round fun from both parties. But the football logic surrounding the move leaves a lot to be desired.