Carolina Panthers: To Trade Up or Down or None of the Above

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The Carolina Panthers are sitting at number 25 in the NFL Draft. The Panthers have needs that they need to address, but can you do that at the 25th pick? How likely or unlikely are the Panthers to move up or down in the draft?

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Consider Ereck Flowers, the Miami offensive lineman who had the best combine performance of any tackle in the Draft. The Panthers spent one of their workouts on him, but some of the draft mockers have him gone before the Panthers pick. So if the Panthers really want Flowers, then they will have to move in front of at least one other tackle needy team.

That could be as easy as trading in front of Detroit at pick 23. That would make Cincinnati at 22 a possible trade partner. The Bengals mock drafts are all over the place, suggesting the team will take the best player available. Since they are not committed, moving down and picking up an additional pick may be attractive to them.

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  • However the Panthers have very little history of trading up in the first round. Their tendency is to trade back to build up their own supply of picks. If Flowers is gone or the Panthers feel they get their other targets later on, then the Panthers might decide to move down in the first round or move out all together.

    A team who would make that happen would have to be a team who has a particular need. There are two running backs expected to be selected in the first round. They are Melvin Gordon of Wisconsin and Todd Gurley of Georgia. One of them may be available when the Panthers pick, and that could drive a team to make a trade with the Panthers.

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    One possibility could be Minnesota. If they trade Adrian Peterson anywhere then they will need a replacement for him. That would make Gurley or Gordon very attractive to them. They would need to get back in the first round if they ignore that possibility at pick eleven.

    Most likely though we will see the Panthers stand pat at 25. That is not a bad thing. The Panthers have a pretty good track record in the late twenties, which we may look at later.

    Next: Dave Gettleman Looks At Needs with Draft Visits