6 burning questions Carolina Panthers fans have ahead of Week 7

What direction the Carolina Panthers should go at QB

What’s the move for the QB position for next year? Draft? Trade? Free agency? Matt Corral? – Brandon White

Thank you for your question, Brandon.

Let’s start with Matt Corral. General manager Scott Fitterer and Matt Rhule made the move to trade up into the third down for the Ole Miss prospect last April in the hope he could one day develop into a franchise quarterback. Unfortunately, he suffered a foot injury during the preseason and will not play in 2022, leaving him and the organization in a tough spot.

With very little tape on Corral, it will be incredibly hard for him to compete for a starting job with the Carolina Panthers next season.

I don’t expect the Panthers to trade for a quarterback again. I think they have learned from their experiences with Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield. In free agency, there aren’t any good options.

Though, if he were to hit the open market, Fitterer should give Lamar Jackson the contract he deserves. It’s very unrealistic and unlikely this happens.

That leaves the NFL Draft, which is probably the safest bet. The Panthers will likely end up with a top-five selection at worst, which means that Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud and Alabama’s Bryce Young are certainly the top two options. Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker and Kentucky’s Will Levis are potential options next April as well.

If Carolina miraculously starts to win games in the second half of the year and ends up outside the first five to ten selections, Clemson’s D.J. Uiagalelei and Florida’s Anthony Richardson are possibilities, assuming they declare for the draft.

My current choice would be Stroud or Young, and I have no preference for either player. I believe both have the mental, physical, and intangible makeup to be future franchise quarterbacks at the next level.

Both would be going into a healthy situation from a roster perspective. Even though the coaching staff is still unknown.