Panthers draft rumors: Justin Fields, Kyle Pitts, Asante Samuel Jr., move down

Will the Carolina Panthers trade down?

Scott Fitterer made no secret of his desire to get more in the way of draft capital during his introductory press conference after being appointed general manager. The front office member has plenty of war room experience during his time with the Seattle Seahawks, who have enjoyed a tremendous amount of success trading back and finding some diamonds in the rough during the later rounds.

According to ESPN’s NFL insider Adam Schefter, the Carolina Panthers are open to trading back from No. 8 if the right offer comes along. This is expected to be from a team looking for a daring move up the board to land one of the quarterbacks that might fall, although gambling on a trade pre-draft in the hope this situation plays out just isn’t a wise move for any organization.

That’s not to say discussions and a preliminary agreement cannot be reached between two parties beforehand, which could be executed quickly depending on how the draft plays out. Carolina put themselves in a more fruitful position by trading for Sam Darnold and is sure to maximize their value knowing exactly what teams looking to move up are after.

If someone like Trey Lance or Justin Fields is on the clock when it’s time for the Panthers to make their pick, they would hold all the cards. A big offer is no doubt tempting and would assist their rebuild in the coming years. But if Penei Sewell drops then this should be a non-starter.