CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Carolina Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer spent the offseason trying to build a roster capable of challenging for a championship if he dropped the right quarterback into the mix like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers did with Tom Brady in 2020.
“I think we're a lot closer this year than we have been the last year or two,’’ Fitterer said during the offseason.
Defensively, it’s getting there.
Offensively, it’s not close.
If anything, it’s been a complete fail.
But getting there in the next couple of years may be more realistic after Thursday’s trade of running back Christian McCaffrey to the San Francisco 49ers that netted three 2023 draft picks (second-, third- and fourth-rounders) and one in 2024 (fifth round) to give Fitterer the maneuverability to draft a quarterback with a top pick next year.