When the Carolina Panthers traded three draft picks to the New York Jets for quarterback Sam Darnold earlier this month, some assumed the team would no longer be in the market for a top QB in the 2021 NFL Draft. Coach Matt Rhule added some fuel to the fire by all but crowning Darnold the team's 2021 starter and acknowledging that the ex-Jets QB's arrival freed the Panthers up to explore other positions with their first-round pick. A week ahead of the draft, however, general manager Scott Fitterer has reignited speculation about the club's plans under center, saying the Panthers won't decide on Darnold's fifth-year option until after the draft.
Carolina has until May 3 to exercise the fifth-year option on Darnold's contract, which would guarantee an $18.9 million salary to the former first-rounder for the 2022 season. And while The Athletic reported this week that the Panthers are expected to do so, Fitterer told reporters Friday that a decision on the option won't come until after the team has welcomed its entire 2021 draft class. The obvious read on that is that the Panthers are still eyeing a top QB prospect, and Fitterer has confirmed as much.
"We have a strong plan in place," the new GM said, per NFL.com's Kevin Patra, who suggests the Panthers simply "want to see if a quarterback of their desires falls to them at No. 8 overall."
Asked if one of the five QBs expected to go in the first round on April 29 has been identified as an ideal fit for the Panthers, Fitterer agreed, before admitting intrigue with several signal-callers in the 2021 class.
"There's actually several of them that we're excited about," he said. "But we're not going to get into exactly who."
Fitterer could also be attempting to drum up interest in the Panthers' No. 8 pick for a potential trade back, especially with several teams -- like the Broncos (No. 9), Patriots (No. 15) and Washington (No. 19) -- potentially eyeing moves up for QBs. But he's spoken openly this offseason about getting aggressive at QB and has a history of stockpiling multiple options, like when he helped add both Russell Wilson and Matt Flynn to the Seahawks' QB room during the same offseason.
"I think you always learn from experiences you have, and it's not just quarterbacks," Fitterer said, per NFL.com. "It's every position. I believe in bringing in the best players that can fit your team, create competition and upgrade your roster. So whether it's a quarterback, a corner, it doesn't matter. It's how do they fit our team, what's the path for success and what's our plan."
