5 pros and cons of the Carolina Panthers trade for No.1 overall pick

Carolina Panthers will secure their franchise QB

Hello, my name is Captain Obvious and I’m here to break some news – the biggest pro of the trade is the fact that the Carolina Panthers will draft their franchise quarterback and it will be exactly who they have the most belief in. Being afforded the chance to zero in on your specific player without requiring any kind of contingency plan is a luxury.

We emphatically tell the locker room, the prospect we choose, and the fanbase all in one fell swoop – this is our quarterback. This instills such an invaluable sense of confidence and cohesiveness right away to help the rookie hit the ground running.

There will still be competition, but there’s no looking over his shoulder and worrying about the support he’ll be receiving from both the organization and his teammates. Bolster the mental fortitude right away so that this coaching staff can do precisely what they were assembled to do – develop the talented, top-tier quarterback prospect into a star.

Detractors will always be there, who say in this instance that there are no generational quarterback prospects in this draft and the cost was too rich for the move the Panthers made. Maybe. But the vast majority of great ones currently leading the way in the NFL weren’t can’t-miss prospects, either.

There’s literally no such thing as a can’t-miss prospect.

Perhaps there’s not an Andrew Luck or Trevor Lawrence-level prospect coming into the draft. But you use these top picks in the first round to draft players with special physical traits and cognitive capabilities that should help elevate them above the rest of their position, with the proper coaching and support.

C.J. Stroud has elite accuracy and throwing ability to every level of an NFL field. Bryce Young dazzles with off-script plays and pocket manipulation. Anthony Richardson is literally a record-breaking athletic prospect with perhaps the highest ceiling. Will Levis is also a prospect often mentioned with the top-three names.

Fans and members of the NFL world lauded the hiring of Frank Reich and this offensive-minded, experienced coaching staff. This staff and the front office just told us with conviction that they are comfortable sacrificing high-value future assets and a current top player if it means getting one of these prospects.

Attempt to sway the narrative however you’d like – the Panthers are getting their quarterback and they really, really like him.