Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer has lived up to his word that Carolina would “be in on every deal.” The team nearly pulled off a trade for Matt Stafford last weekend and they’re also reported to be ready to “aggressively” pursue Deshaun Watson. It’s clear they are one of the many NFL teams prepared to make a major change at quarterback this offseason.
While we desperately want to see Watson wearing a Panthers uniform, realistically, it’s probably not going to happen. For one thing, the Texans are still saying he’s not available. That may change if Watson is committed to holding out, but for now we should assume he is out of reach. Even if Watson does eventually wind up on the trade block, there are at least two other teams with more to offer – and they’ve already been mentioned by Watson among his preferred destinations.
Aside from Watson there’s only one other quarterback who should be considered off-limits. Clemson stud Trevor Lawrence is the presumed No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft. The Jaguars will either choose him or pillage another team for a decade’s worth of draft capital and move down. Either way, Lawrence coming to Carolina is less likely than Watson.
Aside from them, every other QB who might become available is worth consideration, though.
We have already examined the other top 2021 draft prospects, including Justin Fields, Zach Wilson, Trey Lance and Mac Jones.
Today, let’s focus on potential swaps for passers who are already in the NFL and could be on the move. Here are eight QBs who are potential trade targets, ranked based on how much we like the fit/risk.
