The Panthers went into last season with the singular goal of trading for Deshaun Watson. They have failed in that endeavor as Watson has eliminated the team from contention for his services. The finalists are the New Orleans Saints and the Atlanta Falcons, with a decision expected early next week.
The Panthers will now turn their attentions to other available quarterbacks. Options include San Francisco’s Jimmy Garappolo, Cleveland’s Baker Mayfield, free agent Cam Newton, Las Vegas’ Derek Carr, and more. They will also focus more specifically on the draft, now that they are more likely to have a pick in the top 100.