Panthers mailbag: Why not draft a WR at No. 8? Likelihood Carolina trades back?

With the first rushes of free agency and almost all of the pro days around the country completed, the main focus over the next month is the 2021 NFL draft.

There are still plenty of areas that the Carolina Panthers need to address on the roster and some of that will be taken care of with the eight picks in the upcoming draft. A lot has changed with this team and more additions and decisions are still to come. The Observer’s Panthers beat reporters Alaina Getzenberg and Jonathan M. Alexander answered some of your offseason questions in today’s mailbag.

PanthersFan_inAfrica: Is there any news about plans for OTAs? Is it possible that this will be a more normal preseason?

Getzenberg: This is still a bit of a work in progress. OTAs can begin in some capacity April 19 for all teams, but right now that will only be a virtual program. The NFL and coaches hope to have some sort of in-person activity prior to training camp. The NFLPA, however, believes that the virtual program last year reduced injuries and was overall a positive.

The two sides are working to come to an agreement, and it will likely feature some sort of combination of in-person and virtual. The expectation is that training camp will be more normal, although nothing in place yet regarding fans in attendance. Preseason games are on track to return. With the league adding a 17th regular-season game, there will now be three preseason games beginning this year.

E. Harper: I have concerns about the offensive line. I like some of the movement made by the Panthers but the franchise left tackle is not in the building. Is the focus on their second-round pick being a left tackle? How many picks will be used on offensive linemen?

Alexander: Your concerns are legitimate. The Panthers haven’t had a franchise left tackle since Jordan Gross retired in 2013.

The focus isn’t necessarily to get an offensive tackle in the second round. But there will be some good ones there like former Alabama tackle Alex Leatherwood, former North Dakota State tackle Dillon Radunz, former Texas tackle Samuel Cosmi and others.

Many draft experts say this is a deep class for offensive tackles. So the Panthers can likely get a good one in either the first, second or third round.

They also could use an offensive guard. So I think at least one or two.

Chris Leeson: Why not draft a wide receiver at No. 8? Could you see a trade back if we don’t land a QB?

Getzenberg: This is a fair question. The Panthers somewhat addressed Curtis Samuel’s departure in free agency by signing wide receiver David Moore this offseason, but there’s still some help needed at the position.

Draft analysts have named wide receiver as the deepest position in this year’s draft. With the number of needs and holes on this Panthers roster, from offensive line to tight end to cornerback, it would benefit this team more to draft another position in the first-round and add to wide receiver later in the draft.

Scott Fitterer and Matt Rhule could decide to trade back in the first round, and that wouldn’t necessarily be a bad move, but there are many top players at other positions on Day 1 that would address more of this team’s needs.

Eric Goodman: What do you see the panthers doing at defensive tackle? Right now they only have 3 under contract. Do they possibly still plan on bringing KK Short back?

Alexander: The Panthers definitely have to address it. There are still some low-priced options in free agency that the Panthers can sign.

It’s one of their biggest needs after struggling for much of the 2020 season to get pressure up the middle. Fitterer has said multiple times that his philosophy is to build on both sides of the line. I expect them to address it in the draft. There are quite a few good options that could be available in the third and fourth rounds of the draft.

I think the likeliness that they bring Short back is low. I know Short told Sirius XM NFL radio that Fitterer left open the door that he could return if things didn’t work out in free agency

But I think he’d be one of many options that they’d consider. The fact that he’s 32 and has suffered major shoulder injuries in recent years doesn’t give me confidence that they’d sign him.

Akil Guru: How surprised were you that the Panthers chose Anderson/Moore over Samuel?

Getzenberg: I was not at all surprised that Samuel ended up signing a three-year deal with the Washington Football Team. The decision for the Panthers was not the other receivers on the roster over Samuel. All three of those players could have fit on the roster. Instead, the team’s decision to franchise tag right tackle Taylor Moton is what led to parting ways with Samuel.

The team felt that based on the cap situation in 2021, paying Moton and Samuel was not a realistic option. If Samuel’s market had not been what it was, the Panthers would have liked to have him back at the right price. Ultimately, the decision was made to invest in the offensive line. Wide receiver is a position that still has deep talent available in the draft and in free agency.

Carter: Any chance we’d pass on a QB if Justin Fields or Trey Lance were there at No. 8?

Alexander: Doubtful. The Panthers have not been shy in their desire for a franchise quarterback. And finding one within the next two years is critical.

If one falls to them, especially Justin Fields or Trey Lance, I expect the Panthers to take them. Both of those quarterbacks have the tools to be good quarterbacks in the league. They can run and pass.

Both were impressive at their pro days. And both fit the bills of future franchise quarterbacks. Lance is considered a little bit more of a raw talent, but with a high ceiling.

The question is, ‘will either be available at No. 8?’ I’m not sure that will be the case. I think four quarterbacks will be taken among the first four picks.

However, if the 49ers choose Mac Jones at No. 3, that could change things and Fields or Lance could fall to them.

To answer your question: No, I don’t think the Panthers would pass on Fields or Lance if they were available at No. 8.

Zdiddy101: Could we be a dark horse to win the Super Bowl?

Getzenberg: That’s a bit of stretch for 2021. This is still a rebuilding team. We also received a question regarding whether this team is expecting to be competitive this season. The goal for the Panthers when Rhule was hired was to eventually build a team that is in the hunt for the division and in the playoffs on a regular basis. That takes time. They will be competitive and have good pieces that will be exciting to watch, but there are still some steps to take. Figuring out the quarterback is a big part of that. Let’s revisit this question down the line.

Joe: What would you put probabilities of trading up, staying at No. 8 and trading back?

Getzenberg: This is might not be the most satisfying answer, but that’s all on the table right now. For the Panthers sitting at No. 8, much is dependent on the decisions that the other teams make. Will another team trade into the top 10? What are the Falcons really looking to do with No. 4?

There are plenty of players that will be available at No. 8 that can help Carolina. That’s what makes the options so vast. Right now, it seems likely they stick with their No. 8 pick and take the best guy available from the board, but that can change quickly. It also wouldn’t be a surprise to see them get in creative in the first round.

That’s the thing with a team that so many vast needs. There’s more than one way they can walk away from the first day of the draft successful.

Send any questions for mailbag consideration to agetzenberg@charlotteobserver.com or jalexander@charlotteobserver.com or tweet us @jonmalexander and @agetzenberg.

This story was originally published April 2, 2021 at 10:42 AM.