Who were the huge winners from the Carolina Panthers striking a deal with the Chicago Bears for the No. 1 overall selection in 2023?
After weeks of speculation, the Carolina Panthers made their move. And in the blink of an eye, they seized control of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Carolina struck a deal with the Chicago Bears for the No. 1 overall selection. This allows them to take their pick of the top-four quarterbacks emerging from the college ranks this year, even though it meant giving up stud wide receiver D.J. Moore and their first-round selection in 2024.
Still, if the Panthers pick the right guy that can man things productively under center for the next decade, it’s a small price to pay. One that could see Carolina emerge from irrelevancy and into playoff contention.
With this in mind, here are four huge winners from the Panthers’ bombshell surge to No. 1 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Huge Winner No. 1
Terrace Marshall Jr. – Carolina Panthers WR
Reinforcements at the wide receiver position will no doubt arrive via free agency, the draft, or the trade market, but Terrace Marshall Jr. stands to benefit greatly from this trade. The former second-round pick should command additional targets within Frank Reich’s system without D.J. Moore to call upon, which might come with a significant upturn in numbers during Year 3 of his professional career.
Marshall will also have a capable quarterback to lean on. Someone the one-time LSU standout can develop chemistry with en route to potentially becoming an integral part of the Carolina Panthers’ long-term plans.
Frank Reich – Carolina Panthers HC
The impression made by Frank Reich since becoming Carolina Panthers head coach has been notable. His tireless work to form an elite coaching staff laid the foundations for a profitable future and he now has the perfect opportunity to get the quarterback position solved once and for all.
Reich was burned by veterans over his final two seasons with the Indianapolis Colts. Matt Ryan and Carson Wentz failed to meet objectives, which eventually cost the respected figure his job as Jim Irsay laughably went with Jeff Saturday instead.
The Panthers are no stranger to failed moves at football’s most important position thanks to the Matt Rhule era. Therefore, this was the only route Carolina could take in pursuit of sustainable success.
Reich seemed happy with any of the top-four options when texting with Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. But according to Joe Person of The Athletic, many around the league believe C.J. Stroud will be Carolina’s guy.
"“Excited about this group of young QBs. We think they all have strengths that make them unique and worthy of #1 pick. We have a little over a month to confirm which is the right one for our team.”"
This trade allows Reich to start from scratch. To mold his signal-caller of the future within a scheme that looks tailor-made to bring the best out of any prospect that comes into the fold.
It just better be the right guy.
Scott Fitterer – Carolina Panthers GM
After preaching the importance of drafting and developing a quarterback almost from the moment he joined the Carolina Panthers, general manager Scott Fitterer finally got his wish. Something the front office figure accomplished in emphatic fashion and at the first opportunity following Matt Rhule’s removal.
Fitterer is under pressure to make a real go of things in 2023 after playing second-fiddle as Rhule got the final say on personnel matters over his first two offseasons in Carolina. His in-on-every-deal mentality guaranteed an aggressive approach to the quarterback situation and even though D.J. Moore was sacrificed, the compensation looks pretty reasonable all things considered.
Now, Fitterer has his ideal scenario. Something he recently discussed as a possibility heading into an offseason of immense importance.
"“I think you’ve got to have conviction. If there’s a guy in this class that you like, you got to go up and go get him. We’re in a position now where we have a defense, we have an offensive line. We built around this for this opportunity. So if you have conviction, go get him. If not, you don’t want to force it. You don’t want to take a player and pass on a really good player, that might set you back. But you can’t be afraid to take a shot if you believe that’s the guy.”"
Fitterer swung for the fences. What’s important now is to hit a home run and make the correct choice for Carolina’s next face of the franchise, which has been sorely lacking since Cam Newton’s departure in 2020.
Carolina Panthers chosen QB
Which quarterback prospect the Carolina Panthers pick has yet to be determined. But this is a fantastic situation for any rookie signal-caller despite the lack of reliable weapons in the passing game currently.
That will be addressed as a matter of urgency by those in power before and during the 2023 NFL Draft. But thanks to Carolina’s new and improved coaching staff, this is a tremendous fit for any first-year-pro to learn their craft.
Frank Reich, Jim Caldwell, Thomas Brown, and Josh McCown will all play a significant role in the early development of whichever signal-caller joins the Panthers. So there will be no excuses not to immediately thrive behind a stout offensive line and a running game that proved there is life without Christian McCaffrey last season.
One suspects it could be Bryce Young or C.J. Stroud. However, there is some ongoing buzz surrounding Anthony Richardson and Will Levis looks like the sort of quarterback Reich normally goes for based on history.
A fascinating offseason got even more so for Panthers fans heading into the weekend. And make no mistake, the rookie chosen will be in the perfect situation working alongside proven talent developers and coaches with legitimate NFL experience.