How Likely is it the Panthers Trade Down in the Draft?

[OnlyPantherFaninMaine]

Every year the idea of either trading up or down gets brought up around draft time. This year it has been no different; at least in the Draft Central sub-forum.

For one reason or another I get the sense that teams will fall in love with players that have good combines, lots of upside, and fit their scheme and do what is necessary to get their guy. For this reason, I'm starting to think that trading down into the 20-25 range would be more likely for us when compared to drafts of the recent years. We do not know Gettleman's tendencies or draft philosophies, however.

Now, I'm not necessarily advocating that the Panthers do this. If one of our guys is there at 14 and fills a position of need then absolutely pull the trigger and get him on our roster. But what if the top few candidates on our scouting departments list pegged at fourteen are not available when we are on the clock? Without a third round pick this year it could be highly beneficial to drop down a into the early twenties to acquire another late second or third round pick.

Prospects like Ezekiel Ansah, Bjoern Werner, Kenny Vaccaro, Dion Jordan, Desmond Trufant, Xavier Rhodes, Jarvis Jones, Barkevious Mingo, Tyler Eifert, Zach Ertz, and Sheldon Richardson are pieces that could be added at positions of immediate need to Super Bowl contenders that are willing to give up extra picks to get their guy.

In doing so, we would still be in perfect position to draft a day one starter at a position of need. Names like Chance Warmack (see DeCastro fall last year), Johnathan Hankins, Johnathan Banks, Sylvester Williams, Keenan Allen, Matt Elam, Johnathan Cooper, Jesse Williams, and Jonathan Cyprien would all be day one starters for this team and give us great value in the early to mid-twenties and allow us to pick up another second or third which would hopefully allow us to add two more starters in the next couple rounds.

Just some food for thought.

[CRA]

This is a great draft to grab a quality G, S or DT in rounds one and two. I think they stay put.

[carolina-chuck]

Really hope it can happen but likely won't happen. I think 14 is a good spot in taking another very good player in three consecutive years.

Don't have a 3rd and if we can work something, it's be great. Just don't see it

[OnlyPantherFaninMaine]

This is a great draft to grab a quality G, S or DT in rounds one and two. I think they stay put.

Agreed. However, it is also a great draft to trade back some and still find a starter at one of those three positions...and then draft two more starters with the extra pick at the remaining two.

Like I said though, if our guy is there...draft him.

[carolina-chuck]

This is a great draft to grab a quality G, S or DT in rounds one and two. I think they stay put.

Agree. Guys like (Vaccaro, Cooper, Warmack, Floyd, etc).

But if we could trade down and add another 2nd or 3rd, we could still get very good players there (Reid, Warford, etc).

[OnlyPantherFaninMaine]

I just cannot help but feel giddy about a trio of Cooper or Hankins or Jesse Williams and then DeAndre Hopkins and Philip Thomas in round 2.

[Delhommey]

Last year it was really cheap to trade up (the exception understandably being the RGIII trade). I'm curious to see how that carries over to this year.

There aren't many players that are heads and shoulders above the others, and there's a pretty deep layer of talent at just about every position other than QB, so I'm assuming it'll be cheap again to move around.

[carolina-chuck]

I just cannot help but feel giddy about a trio of Cooper or Hankins or Jesse Williams and then DeAndre Hopkins and Philip Thomas in round 2.

I'd like Floyd (1st), Ertz(2nd) and Reid (2nd).

[xerxes]

Not very. People generally speaking stick to what they know, and our new GM is a pro scouting guy. I expect our philosophy to change from 'build through the draft' to 'develop a core through the draft and supplement with smart FA'. Hurney got in trouble because he fell in love with his draft picks and paid them accordingly.

I believe Gettleman's approach will be to make the core of the team from the draft e.g. Cam Newton, but to fill out the roster by finding quality FA's we can get for a good price. As such, I actually think it's more likely we trade up to get one of those 'core guys' e.g. a franchise WR than trading down.

[Kuech the Sneak]

We could benefit by trading down and getting more picks, but if one of there top players is still there at 14 they'll pull the trigger

[Lumps]

This is a great draft to grab a quality G, S or DT in rounds one and two. I think they stay put.

Agreed. As much as I want a WR, those positions have some very nice prospects in the first/second. It all depends on who falls, who is in realistically FA and the combine/interviews though. I'd like to see Oline and S given the right players fall. If not, put in a DT somewhere. Really hurts not to have a third to get what we leave out. This team is going to take time for Dave to fix (meaning not just one draft). Once our cap evens out of these bad contracts we can add quality playmakers but right now, we still need core necessities. Dave will pick BPA most likley anyways of any of those positions (wr, dt, db, ol).

[nagai]

Gettleman came from a team that BPA'd JPP at 15, even when they had Osi, Kiwinuka and Tuck. Unless he gets a great deal, he'll just stay put and pull the trigger imo.

[SIGCHI222]

14 for an early 20's and a third if you can find a dance partner, otherwise just stay put.

[panthers55]

What no one is talking about is exactly who is going to trade up to get that instant starter at 14. This isn't like last year where you had a number of talented quarterbacks or a Julio Jones who Atlanta is willing to trade up 21 spots to get. Unless a D linemen who is projected as a top 10 falls to us, no one is going to give us any thing for that pick. And if a top 10 D linemen falls to us at 14, I suspect we will be the one pulling the trigger and keeping them ourselves.