Analysis: Matthew Stafford leaving Lions could complicate Panthers ability to draft a QB
Before news broke that Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford was seeking a new team, there was a sense among draft experts that three teams would take a quarterback among the first seven picks in the 2021 NFL draft.
The Lions, who pick seventh and one ahead of the Panthers, were not one of them.
But with recent news of Stafford’s potential departure, that changes things, and could come at the expense of the Panthers, who also have a need at quarterback.
New Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer said Friday that he believes building a franchise starts with the offensive line, defensive line and quarterback. The Seattle Seahawks, Fitterer’s old team, were able to accomplish that after drafting quarterback Russell Wilson in 2012. Wilson has been among the NFL’s best quarterbacks, and since then, the Seahawks have won a Super Bowl and have been consistent contenders.
That’s what the Panthers are trying to achieve.
But after last season it became clear that the Panthers don’t yet have their franchise quarterback.
“Someone that gives you an opportunity to win when the game’s on the line in the fourth quarter,” Fitterer said when asked his definition of a franchise quarterback. “Someone that just has the leadership qualities that when they walk in the building, they know that’s the person in charge.”
Teddy Bridgewater, who signed a three-year deal with the Panthers last offseason, was 0-for-8 on potential game-winning or game-tying drives this past season, and threw six touchdowns and five interceptions in Carolina’s final six games. During that span, the Panthers were 1-5.
That’s why finding a quarterback this offseason should be priority. The Panthers could find one via a trade or through free agency. One name that has surfaced is Houston Texans’ quarterback Deshaun Watson, who reportedly wants out. The Texans, however, have not said whether they will trade him, and a trade for him would likely cost a lot.
Stafford, who is 33, is also an option.
But a simpler path to finding a quarterback was through the draft.
Jordan Reid, a draft analyst for The Draft Network, said there are four quarterbacks among his top-15 prospects. They include Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence, Ohio State’s Justin Fields and BYU’s Zach Wilson, who are all expected to be off the board before the No. 7 pick.
North Dakota State’s Trey Lance was Reid’s fourth-best quarterback in the draft and the Panthers were a team he could see drafting Lance.
Lance gained a lot of attention in 2019 after he threw for 2,786 yards and 28 touchdowns without throwing an interception. He also ran for 1,100 yards and 14 touchdowns, and helped lead the Bison to a 16-0 record. He played in only one game in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“He’s a guy who can win inside and outside the pocket,” Reid said, adding that Lance has ‘franchise quarterback potential.’
But if the Lions were to draft him, as Pro Football Focus projects them to do, that limits the Panthers’ options.
Mac Jones is also a possibility for the Panthers if they want to draft a quarterback. But some draft experts believe it would be a stretch to pick the former Alabama quarterback at No. 8. Jones is expected to play in the Senior Bowl this week and be coached by Carolina’s staff, giving the Panthers an opportunity to get to know him and see how he performs.
If the Panthers are set on Jones, and his draft stock does not increase, then they could trade back and possibly get Jones later in the draft. The Seahawks, who have picked later in drafts in recent years, have been known to trade back to acquire more picks.
Fitterer said the No. 8 pick opens the door for opportunities.
“That gives us the opportunity where we can move up, we can move back, because there’s a lot of flexibility in the draft,” Fitterer said. “It’ll be a new adventure, and one that I’m looking forward to.”
