The Carolina Panthers currently have the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft after a huge trade last month with the Chicago Bears, who had the top pick heading into the offseason. The Bears traded their first overall pick for the No. 9 pick, a 2023 second-rounder, a 2024 first-round pick, a 2025 second-round selection and wide receiver D.J. Moore.
The deal was able to be done rather quickly as Bears general manager Ryan Poles had clear and strong interest from the Panthers. Poles gave some insight into what the Panthers are after in the draft on an episode of the Bears’ “1920 Football Drive” series.
“I knew from the jump that [the Panthers] were a team that really wanted their quarterback,” Poles said. “They wanted to control the draft. That meant a lot to them. They got in front early, at the combine. I had a good relationship with their general manager, Scott Fitterer, and felt like at that time it was best to close on the deal when we did, instead of dragging it out.”
As it stands right now, the Panthers have quarterbacks Andy Dalton, Matt Corral and Jacob Eason on their roster. Bryce Young (Alabama), C.J. Stroud (Ohio State) and Anthony Richardson (Florida) are expected to be the first three quarterbacks taken. Young and Stroud are predicted as the No. 1 and No. 2 picks in all of CBS Sports’ latest mock drafts, with most experts expecting Young to get picked first.
Young is also the highest-listed quarterback in our NFL Draft Prospect Rankings at No. 2 overall. Stroud is No. 4 overall.
The Panthers clearly want a quarterback and were after the Bears’ pick, but they were not the only ones wanting to make the trade. Poles wanted to accept the deal while he was being offered a top value.
“It was calm and cool for a while, and then it turned into pretty much pacing all day long,” Poles said. “It’s so fluid. It shifts and changes all the time when you’re talking with different teams. Some teams are super aggressive. Some are playing in the gray, and you kind of have to read between the lines.”
Poles previously said he did not wait around to accept the deal because he knew teams could change their minds as they see prospects play more. A bad Pro Day for a prospect could make a team offer less for the top pick.
A lot of teams reportedly reached out about the pick and the Panthers came out as the winners, thanks to the bundle they offered, specifically adding…
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