Breaking News: Just In Evaluating the Panthers flurry of trades in the draft as as the Panthers Maneuvered Across the Draft Board…

Breaking News: Just In Evaluating the Panthers flurry of trades in the draft as as the Panthers Maneuvered Across the Draft Board…

The Carolina Panthers’ bold move to trade up one spot into the first round on Thursday night was just the beginning of their draft strategy, reminiscent of general manager Dan Morgan’s mentor, Scott Fitterer. Last night saw three more trades in the second and third rounds, as the Panthers maneuvered across the draft board.

Ultimately, they secured their RB1 in Jonathon Brooks and a linebacker they favored in Trevin Wallace. However, their path to these selections resembled a game of three-card monte, with constant shuffling of picks.

This draft saw the Panthers engage in four trades, almost matching the franchise record set in the 1995 NFL draft and equaled in the 2021 NFL draft. Here’s a breakdown of the assets they surrendered and acquired:

They relinquished picks no. 33, 65, and 142, and gained picks no. 46, 72, 157, and a 2025 second-round pick. Additionally, they briefly acquired and then traded away picks no. 52 and 155 amidst these moves.

Let’s analyze these trades using the three trade value charts:

1. Jimmy Johnson Trade Value Chart: According to this chart, the Panthers gained a surplus of 239 points once the 2025 2nd-round pick from the Rams reaches its full value. This surplus is equivalent to a seventh-round pick this year or the 71st overall pick next year.
2. Rich Hill Trade Value Chart: Initially, there was an almost 11-point deficit for the Panthers, but with the maturity of the 2025 2nd-round pick, they achieved a surplus of 54.21 points, equivalent to the 81st overall pick next year.
3. Fitzgerald-Spielberger NFL Draft Trade Value Chart: Here, the Panthers gained a significant surplus of 508 points initially, which grows to 767 points with the maturity of the 2025 2nd-round pick. This surplus is equivalent to the 137th overall pick this year or the 82nd overall pick next year.

In essence, we’ve learned two things: Dan Morgan’s willingness to maneuver the draft board freely and the wisdom of trading with the Los Angeles Rams.

Despite the flurry of trades, the Panthers head into Day Three of the 2024 NFL draft with at least one pick in each of the seven rounds of this draft and one pick in each of the seven rounds of the 2025 NFL draft. This demonstrates resilience for a franchise amidst uncertainty regarding its rebuild status.