Why the Panthers shouldn’t go broke for Matthew Stafford
By Dean Jones
Although there might be a temptation to do so, the Carolina Panthers should not go broke trying to land quarterback Matthew Stafford.
In the words of free-agent running back Mike Davis, this year’s offseason period is “about to be crazy“. There promises to be an unprecedented turnover at the quarterback position across the league if reports are to be believed and the Carolina Panthers could also be in the market for a potential signal-caller of their own given Teddy Bridgewater’s lack of conviction during his first year under center.
New general manager Scott Fitterer will want to make a big statement after taking over from Marty Hurney. Couple this with owner David Tepper’s clear desire for another viable option to move the Panthers forward and things don’t exactly look promising for Bridgewater, who still has two years and $48.95 million in combined salary-cap hit remaining on his deal.
One possible target for Carolina is Matthew Stafford. The Detroit Lions player has requested a trade from the organization that is set to be granted, with ESPN’s Adam Schefter reporting that “a third of the league” has already been in touch to see what it’s going to take in a possible move.
One of those is sure to have been the Panthers. Fitterer has stated that they “want to be in on every deal” and if that means going after a veteran signal-caller who would obviously be an upgrade on what they have, it’s an option worth considering.
However, they would be wise not to mortgage their future in pursuit of the former No. 1 overall pick, with the Lions looking for a first-round selection in return.