3 reasons the Carolina Panthers should not dismiss Sam Howell

Carolina Panthers could get value from Sam Howell

With just one draft pick in the top-100 as it stands, the Carolina Panthers cannot afford to miss on their first-round selection. Sam Howell at No. 6 overall – or taking any quarterback so high – is a major reach according to most analysts, but general manager Scott Fitterer has also shown a real willingness to trade down should the right offer comes along.

Trading up and down the board is something that Fitterer did plenty of during his first draft in Carolina. And Pro Football Focus recently published some statistics stating the front office figure did it better than anybody else last year.

However, with no marquee quarterback up for grabs in 2022, it might be a little difficult to do the same this time around. Fitterer and the Panthers know they have to smash this draft out of the park to stand any chance of trending upward and acquiring additional draft capital could see them kill two birds with one stone, so to speak.

Perhaps trading back would give the Panthers an opportunity to select an elite left tackle in the top-15 and take Howell either in the second round or by a slight move up back into the first depending on how far the signal-caller falls.

This is a risk, obviously. But one that could bear fruit providing the quarterback makes the necessary improvements under new offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo and quarterbacks coach Sean Ryan – two experienced figures with plenty of success under their belts.