The Carolina Panthers had a season of two halves in 2022. After starting the year 1-4, the team fired head coach Matt Rhule and replaced him with Steve Wilks.
Carolina lost their first two games under Wilks by a combined score of 61-25. The Panthers then sent superstar running back Christian McCaffrey to the San Francisco 49ers for a bounty of draft picks.
Following the McCaffrey trade, Carolina went on an impressive run. They won four of their final six games, ending the year with a 7-10 record. Despite their 1-5 start, the Panthers finished with only one fewer win than the NFC South division-winning Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
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What Draft Picks Do The Carolina Panthers Own?
After ending the year with a 7-10 record, Carolina will have the ninth overall pick in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. It will be the fourth straight year the Panthers have a top-10 draft pick. Overall, the team has seven total selections this year.
They have their own first, second, fourth, and fifth-round pick. However, the New England Patriots own Carolina’s third and sixth-round picks as part of two separate deals from last year. Meanwhile, the Panthers’ seventh-round pick belongs to the Jacksonville Jaguars as part of the Laviska Shenault Jr. trade.
Who Could The Carolina Panthers Draft In The First Round?
Wilks did an excellent job as the interim head coach. While he is in the running for the full-time role, the Panthers have interviewed other candidates. Whoever ends up being the head coach for Carolina next year will need to address the quarterback position.
Sam Darnold played well, throwing for 1,143 yards and nine total touchdowns in six games this year. However, he has a career quarterback rating of 78.2 and is a free agent in March. While the team spent a third-round on Matt Corral last year, he missed his rookie season with a foot injury.
One potential target with the eighth overall pick is Florida’s Anthony Richardson. The Gator quarterback had 28 total touchdowns this season and has incredible upside. However, he also likely needs a year to develop before being ready to take over as the starter. Yet, his upside is the highest of any quarterback in this draft class.
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