5 former Carolina Panthers players who could thrive on new teams in 2023

D.J. Moore - Former Carolina Panthers WR

The Carolina Panthers had to do something at quarterback. After so much failure with suspect trades and free-agent signings, it had to be drastic. 

This led general manager Scott Fitterer into an aggressive trade with the Chicago Bears. It got them to No. 1 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, but the compensation was severe. 

Carolina gets their pick of the quarterback litter. But for the trade to get rubber-stamped, the Panthers had to part ways with stud wide receiver D.J. Moore. 

The former first-round pick out of Maryland is one of the most underappreciated wideouts in the league. Despite having no consistent distribution since being drafted, Moore almost notched his fourth-consecutive 1,000-yard receiving season in the face of significant adversity last time around. 

If this is the move that lands the Panthers their first franchise quarterback since Cam Newton, it's worth the risk. As for Moore, he'll now become an integral part of Justin Fields' ongoing development heading into a crucial Year 3 of the quarterback's career. 

Moore was a little resentful when discussing the trade during his introductory press conference in Chicago. He deserved better from the Panthers in many ways, but the NFL is a business above all else and Fitterer felt this was the best move to take the franchise forward.