Panthers roll with Teddy Bridgewater in full 7-round mock draft
By Dean Jones
Which way will the Carolina Panthers go with their 2021 NFL Draft selections if they decide to roll with quarterback Teddy Bridgewater next season?
The Carolina Panthers had some big plans to upgrade the quarterback position this offseason. They went all-in with a failed bid for Matthew Stafford before the Los Angeles Rams came in with a better offer and their interest in Deshaun Watson was there for all to see before civil suits threw a significant spanner in the works.
Carolina is now potentially left with looking at the 2021 NFL Draft for a potential recruit, although even this now looks unlikely considering how bold the San Francisco 49ers were in moving themselves up to No. 3 and jumping the line for a top prospect once Trevor Lawrence and Zach Wilson come off the board, as expected.
Not exactly the big splash team owner David Tepper had in mind. But giving Bridgewater a lengthy deal with plenty in the way of guaranteed money seemed bizarre last year and even more so at this juncture.
The Panthers will have to play the hand they’re dealt during the early stage of the draft. They need to react quickly to what transpires in front of them and who knows, maybe going up a couple of spots for a Trey Lance or Justin Fields is not out of the realm of possibility.
Using the Pro Football Focus mock draft simulator, we took a look at how the Panthers might utilize their selections with a view to building around Bridgewater, not replacing him.