4 Carolina Panthers on the hot seat ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft
By Dean Jones
Matt Corral - Carolina Panthers QB
There's been one forgotten man during the frenzied speculation and excitement about the Carolina Panthers' big trade to No. 1 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Despite the Panthers trading up to No. 94 overall in 2022 to acquire the former Ole Miss standout, there is no room for sentiment when it comes to NFL roster building. This bears more significance when a new coaching staff comes into the fold.
This is the latest stumbling block in a luckless start to Corral's career. His reps were significantly mismanaged during training camp as Matt Rhule opted for a quarterback battle between Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield, which was perhaps an indictment of how the signal-caller's talents were perceived initially.
Couple this with a serious foot fracture in Carolina's preseason game against the Buffalo Bills, and Corral's rookie campaign was over before it began. The Panthers now have Andy Dalton and their choice of college quarterbacks, so it's a long road back for the second-year-pro all things considered.
Corral issued a social media post recently outlining his desire to fight with everything he has to force himself into consideration, even if it appears unlikely. A situation could even emerge during the draft where Scott Fitterer looks to recoup some capital and sends the player elsewhere.