4 major offseason gambles that could pay off for the Panthers in 2023
By Dean Jones
Carolina Panthers sacrificed D.J. Moore
Steve Wilks' mini-resurgence was just what the Carolina Panthers needed in 2022 after so much misery under Matt Rhule. But it came at a price.
The Panthers ended up with the No. 9 overall selection and were desperate for a new quarterback. Fortunately for them, opportunity knocked when the Chicago Bears got the first pick after a dramatic final-day win by the Houston Texans.
Trade talks continued and progressed at the NFL Scouting Combine. The deal was almost done, but it needed one final piece to get it over the line.
The standout wide receiver was sacrificed to rubber-stamp the trade. Something that sent shockwaves around the league and brought a level of sadness from Carolina's fanbase given how popular Moore became.
Moore did a remarkable job with almost no consistent quarterback play. He seemed a little bitter during his introductory press conference in Chicago, but the NFL is a business and the Panthers deemed this a gamble worth making in pursuit of finally solving their ongoing conundrum under center.
Carolina strengthened its pass-catching options by signing Adam Thielen, D.J. Chark, and Hayden Hurst. They still have Terrace Marshall Jr. and might add another option via the 2023 NFL Draft.
But trading a player of Moore's caliber remains risky. One that heightens the urgency for Carolina to pick the right guy from atop the draft.