Panthers News: John Penisini, Bryce Young smoke, Jeremy Chinn and Frank Reich

Carolina Panthers head coach makes his choice at No. 1

All the speculation has been centered on the Carolina Panthers choosing between Bryce Young or C.J. Stroud. However, a recent revelation from Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network claimed that head coach Frank Reich had his eye on someone else. 

The insider stated to WFNZ that Reich has been pounding the table hard for Anthony Richardson, who is a little raw but comes with potentially generational upside if everything clicks into place. This is not an idea widely shared by those within the Panthers' war room, so it'll be interesting to see how this dynamic plays out. 

"I’m told that Frank Reich, if he had his way, would go with Anthony Richardson because of the upside, because of what Anthony Richardson could be two or three years down the road. It’s just a matter of how much of a fight is Frank Reich gonna put up in that war room to say, ‘Hey, listen, I want Anthony Richardson.’ I think right now, there’s probably less than a 20 percent chance it’s Anthony Richardson and all signs are pointing towards C.J. Stroud."

- Tony Pauline via WFNZ/Panthers Wire

Reich said that he'd have no trouble bowing to the consensus agreement when it comes to the crunch. General manager Scott Fitterer also has the final say on personnel moves, although there is far more collaboration than at any stage during Matt Rhule's era.

Richardson is one of the most polarizing prospects in recent memory. The athletic intangibles are absolutely astonishing, but inexperience and some mechanical issues make this a big gamble if Reich did end up getting his way.