With The First Pick
Fansided

Carolina Panthers hire Frank Reich; is QB in draft on radar?

By Lou Scataglia

TAMPA, FLORIDA - JANUARY 09: Sam Darnold #14 of the Carolina Panthers calls a play in the huddle with teammates during the first quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on January 09, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FLORIDA - JANUARY 09: Sam Darnold #14 of the Carolina Panthers calls a play in the huddle with teammates during the first quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on January 09, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Carolina Panthers hired Frank Reich on Thursday to be their next head coach. Could they make a play in the 2023 NFL Draft at quarterback?  The Panthers pick ninth overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, so they are a ways away from being able to select someone like Bryce Young and CJ Stroud if they wanted to.

Even someone like Will Levis could be out of play.  Given Reich’s hire and his work with quarterbacks in the past, the Panthers could be a prime candidate to take a first round quarterback.  However, I also think there’s an argument that they could simply acquire a veteran quarterback and wait on trying to find a long-term answer.

I believe they could do the latter because the NFC South is wide open, especially when Tom Brady leaves the division.  The Buccaneers, Saints, and Falcons all have huge question marks at quarterback and don’t exactly have strong coaching.

Reich instantly becomes the best head coach in the division and have a stout defense.  Being that the division is winnable, I do think acquiring a veteran QB like Derek Carr or Carson Wentz would instantly make them favorites in the division, which would lock them into the fourth seed at least and a home playoff game.

However, if the Carolina Panthers want to take the route of drafting someone, they might find some success in that route as well.  If Anthony Richardson fell into their lap at ninth overall, could they pull the trigger?

In Richardson’s case, he’s got an insanely high ceiling but does need some refining.  Being that they now have Reich in the building, who has worked with a similar quarterback in Wentz, why not give it a try again?

The team could get a ton out of that investment and going that route.  Either way, the Panthers are most definitely going to target a quarterback this offseason, draft or otherwise.

Home/Carolina Panthers