NFL fans can't believe Panthers' decision to trade first overall draft pick

Published Mar 12, 2023 19:43 GMT

The Carolina panthers traded for the first overall draft pick and now it appears that they may not keep it. — The Carolina Panthers traded for the first overall draft pick and now it appears that they may not keep it.

The Carolina Panthers shocked many by trading up to the number one overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft. The Chicago Bears, who were unlikely to draft a quarterback, initially held the pick.

Fans believed that newly-hired head coach Frank Reich and his staff had their eyes set on a certain quarterback and wanted to ensure that they got their guy.

Now, NFL insider Dov Kleiman is reporting that several sources believe that the Panthers could in fact trade down with another team if they have more than one quarterback that they want to pursue.

The news perplexed NFL fans. They questioned why the Carolina Panthers gave up so many assets to the Bears if they weren't set on a quarterback.

Typically when a team trades up for a higher draft pick, they are confident in their decision and want to ensure that no other team jumps them. In a first round with so many quarterback-needy teams, it seemed like the ideal reason for Carolina to do so.

Now, they appear to be second-guessing that decision and may not hold that number one draft pick for very long. NFL fans on Twitter were shocked that this was the latest turn of events for a team that is in need of a rebuild.

WR DJ Moore thanks Panthers after trade to Bears

Carolina traded DJ Moore to the Chicago Bears as part of a blockbuster pre-draft trade to gain the number one overall pick. After the news broke, Moore took to Twitter to thank the Carolina organization and the fans.

He thanked the team for drafting him in 2018 and for everything they have done for him so far at the start of his NFL career.

Moore was drafted by Carolina as the 24th overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft after playing three years at the University of Maryland.

In five seasons with the team, the 25-year-old wide receiver caught 5,201 yards and 21 touchdowns.

About the author

Bethany Cohen is an NFL writer at Sportskeeda, with a rich prior 15-year experience in the sports writing industry, primarily covering the MLB and MiLB. She majored in Communications from the University of South Florida and has previously worked for top companies such as Examiner.com and Legends on Deck.

Bethany owes her NFL allegiance to the Pittsburgh Steelers owing to their long-standing tradition and competitiveness. She is a fan of old stalwarts such as Terry Bradshaw and Franco Harris and would love to watch them in the 1970s if she manages to get her hand on a time machine. She also acknowledges the greatness of modern icons like T.J. Watt for his desire to continuously improve despite being on top. She admires coaches Mike Tomlin and Andy Reid for their longevity and success.

The ace reporter credits her knowledge and love for the sport to be her biggest reporting strengths. Prior fact-checking is a big component of her process and she always scours through additional sources to ensure complete accuracy in her content.

Super Bowl XLIII, when the Steelers won the the grand prize after Santonio Holmes’ epic catch in the end zone with just seconds left on the clock is etched in Bethany’s memory forever. When she is free of her professional commitments, she likes to attend sports events and music concerts.

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