After losing on the Deshaun WatsonSweepstakes have claimed the Panthers still intend to add another quarterback to the roster, according to NFL.com’s Nick Shook. In a press conference attended by The Athletic’s Shook and Joseph Person, general manager Scott Fitterer laid out the team’s plans for the future.
Answering the obvious question, quarterbacks Sam Darnold and PJ Walker are still under contract and given every opportunity to earn the entry-level job. The problem there is that they’ve already been given such an opportunity, so the question of the future quarterback is still being asked. Fitterer informed reporters that head coach Matt Rhule spoke to a free agent who signed last year. Cam Newton. Fitterer said: “The thing with Cam has to suit us and just as well with him. He’s looking for a specific opportunity. The door is still open to us.”
The free-agent quarterback market really took off after Watson’s trade to Cleveland. However, there are still some NFL-seasoned options in the trade market. As of now, Fitterer claims they haven’t heard from San Francisco or Cleveland Jimmy Garoppolo or Baker Mayfield. Since phones can typically both send and receive calls, it stands to reason that the Panthers’ not initiating conversations about available quarterbacks is reflecting their interest. Still, Fitterer claims they’re open to calls from the 49ers or Browns. They have the luxury of waiting, possibly even after the draft, since there doesn’t seem to be any pressing interest in Garoppolo or Mayfield.
The most likely route, and Fitterer’s most desired route, is through the 2022 NFL Draft. Rhule and Fitterer attended Kenny Pickett’s Pro-Day practice with Pitt and Malik Willis’ practice with Liberty. Rhule went to pro day in Mississippi to see Matt Corral. The only reason they didn’t go to Cincinnati to see Desmond Ridder is because they’ve already worked extensively with the Bearcat quarterback at the Senior Bowl and Combine. They sent a scout and two hiring managers anyway.
Suffice to say, the Panthers have made it very clear that they’re taking a good look at this year’s quarterback roster. With sixth pick in the first round of the draft, Carolina could very likely take a quarterback and very well be the first team to do so and give them throw choice.
Fitterer preached the philosophy of building a team around a young quarterback with a relatively low contract, as the Seahawks were doing Russell Wilson during Fitterer’s tenure in Seattle. The only problem with this philosophy is that Rhule’s seat gets hotter with every loss. He may not feel like he has the leash to develop a young quarterback surrounded by veterans. If Rhule feels like he’s in a win-now scenario, he can push for the team to trade for one of the more tried and tested assets like Garoppolo or Mayfield.
The route, which ends in Carolina, will likely say a lot about the alignment of Rhule and Fitterer, who arrived a year after the head coach. If the team trades for a league veteran, Fitterer will likely want to give Rhule the tools to keep his job. If teams sit around and wait until the draft to tackle the position, it’s safe to assume that Fitterer is willing to let Rhule test his luck to build a team of his own philosophy.