This week, general manager Dan Morgan said the Carolina Panthers are open to trading down from the eighth-overall pick.
This doesn’t come as a surprise, as many teams still need a quarterback, and the Panthers have various other holes to fill. The problem is finding someone who wants to move up, as opinions vary on Shedeur Sanders and Jaxson Dart. Whose needs could make them a potential trade partner for the eighth-overall pick?
1. Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers shocked people when it was announced that Shedeur Sanders would be hosted for a pre-draft meeting.
It shouldn’t have been such a shock, though, as the Steelers have lost Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, and Aaron Rodgers is still unsure about his future. This leaves a giant hole at the position, and drafting a quarterback seems like the direction the Steelers are going in, so it would make sense to trade up for a quarterback, especially if they have a first-round grade on one of them.
2. Cleveland Browns
Another AFC North team is a candidate to trade with the Panthers.
The Browns already own the second-overall pick, but they could look to do their version of what the Texans did when drafting C.J. Stroud and trading up for Will Anderson. The Browns would look to do the inverse by taking Travis Hunter or Abdul Carter first before trading up for a quarterback.
With Deshaun Watson out, the Browns likely won’t go into the season with just Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco as their only quarterback options.
3. New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints were dealt a big blow recently with the news that Derek Carr‘s status for the 2025 season was in jeopardy due to a shoulder injury.
This leaves a massive hole in the quarterback position for the Saints, and they don’t have much cap space to work with. They own the ninth-overall pick, just one back from the Panthers, but this could mean the Saints are in a prime position to get jumped by another team. They could do business with their division rival to ensure they get a quarterback.
4. Miami Dolphins
The only team here that isn’t trading up for a quarterback, the Miami Dolphins, have the 13th-overall pick, but could be looking to trade up for an offensive lineman, as their front was pretty weak last year.
They were dealt another blow as their left tackle, Terron Armstead, announced he was retiring. The Bears and 49ers, ahead of them, could look to draft an offensive lineman too, potentially leaving the Dolphins with fewer choices. A swap from 13th to eighth could be enough to land almost any offensive lineman.
While there won’t be the same demand for a top-10 pick we saw in last year’s draft, a handful of teams could benefit from a move-up.
The question that remains, though, is what kind of package would satisfy the Panthers.
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