4 reasons the Panthers must retool, not rebuild after Matt Rhule’s firing
By Dean Jones
Carolina Panthers must put potential QB in a strong position
As it stands right now, the Carolina Panthers have the No. 1 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft. There is still a lot of football to be played, but with P.J. Walker set to start over the next few weeks due to Baker Mayfield’s ankle problem, one would expect them to be right in contention for a top-five pick, at the very least.
Considering Mayfield and Sam Darnold are both out of contract coupled with a new coach coming into the fold, the chances of them selecting a top prospect from the college ranks would be high. Especially considering any arrival might have a completely different view of Matt Corral.
Whether it’s C.J. Stroud, Bryce Young, or someone else, the Panthers must put the right foundations in place for any rookie signal-caller to thrive right out of the gate. Trading away multiple assets wouldn’t be the best way to accomplish this feat.
Waving the white flag and going for a complete rebuild often leads to problems if rookie quarterbacks are thrown in at the deep end with little help. Carolina has plenty of talent on offense and finally possesses enough across their protection to provide confidence week-to-week, so it’s not a bad spot to be in.
Again, this might be a coaching thing more than anything. It’s also worth remembering that Ben McAdoo and his bland scheme won’t be around beyond the current campaign unless something drastic occurs over the remaining 12 games.