4 major draft needs for the Carolina Panthers after free-agent moves in 2023
By Nick Halden
Carolina Panthers need a QB
The Carolina Panthers have reason to feel as if the team has greatly improved at the quarterback position already. Adding Andy Dalton gives them arguably a better second option than they had to start all of last season. He is a great veteran to mentor and a solid backup option in case of injury.
Carolina made the gutsy move of trading up to the No. 1 overall pick and their draft class will be defined by whether or not they make the right decision. C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young have been the clear choices since before the 2022 season.
Will Carolina make the safer decision and take one of the two prospects, or is there actual truth to the Anthony Richardson speculation? It's a nice spot for those in power to be in - one that cost a significant amount of capital and wide receiver D.J. Moore - but ignoring the outside noise before coming to their conclusion is vital.
Taking Stroud makes the most sense from the outside looking in considering the roster being built in Carolina. Young would make a level of sense as well but comes with obvious injury concerns and lacks the prototypical size normally associated with Frank Reich quarterbacks.
Whatever decision the Panthers ultimately make will define Reich and general manager Scott Fitterer's time with the organization and the 2023 NFL Draft class overall.