Getty Image / David Jensen
One of the biggest mysteries in the NFL right now is who the Carolina Panthers are going to end up drafting with the 1st overall pick.
They made a massive trade with the Bears to get the pick, but it hasn’t been clear who they made that trade up to select.
At first, it seemed that it was to get CJ Stroud as he became a big favorite to be selected first overall, but the odds have swung back towards Bryce Young recently and he is now favored to be the pick.
It turns out that fans and oddsmakers may not be the only ones uncertain about things will play out at the top of the draft. A new report has revealed that there is disagreement within the Panthers organization over who they want to be their franchise QB.
According to NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein, Panthers head coach Frank Reich doesn’t want Bryce Young over CJ Stroud at pick 1, but owner David Pepper does.
If Bryce Young goes to Carolina at No. 1
"I believe it's a 60-65% chance it will be CJ Stroud" for the Texans at No. 2. "Ultimately the owners are going to make a decision if they are going to take a QB."
– @LanceZierlein https://t.co/b2uOvXs5gD
— Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) April 13, 2023
It will be interesting to see who wins this battle. Obviously Tepper has complete control as the team’s owner, but giving Reich a quarterback he doesn’t want right off the bat when the Panthers brought him in to turn the franchise around doesn’t seem like the best strategy.
The Panthers really need to get this pick right after years of brutal quarterback play. Over the last few seasons, they’ve had Cam Newton, Teddy Bridgewater, Will Grier, Sam Darnold, Kyle Allen, and Baker Mayfield all fail to provide the franchise with a steady offense.
Their last coach couldn’t overcome the poor quarterback play and he found himself looking for a new job after two and a half seasons.
The Carolina Panthers may be inclined to give him the QB he wants to avoid a similar fate, but he’ll need to start getting results quickly if they do.