3 reasons the Carolina Panthers should’ve started Will Grier in 2020
By Dean Jones
Carolina Panthers could have landed Trevor Lawrence
Starting Will Grier would have been feast or famine for the Carolina Panthers. There’s no getting away from that.
If it didn’t work out, then perhaps the NFL’s worst record wouldn’t be far behind.
That was no bad thing last season.
The prize for any fortunate team acquiring the No. 1 overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft was Trevor Lawrence. The former Clemson sensation is the best prospect at the position to enter the league in a generation and comes to the next level with the scope to completely transform a struggling franchise.
Lawrence ended up on the Jacksonville Jaguars. Leaving the Panthers with a potential stud cornerback at No. 8 in Jaycee Horn after passing on Ohio State signal-caller Justin Fields.
Throwing away a campaign is not even in the discussion for NFL teams. Most simply possess too much pride for that.
However, a large majority of fans wouldn’t have shed many tears had they ended up picking first after a full season with Grier under center. The prospect of drafting Lawrence was compensation enough for another year of failure.
There’s nothing the Panthers or their fanbase can do about it now. Teddy Bridgewater was a swing and a miss, so it’s vital they try and make the most out of Darnold in pursuit of avoiding yet another quarterback search next spring.