(Charlotte) The Carolina Panthers made a trade to acquire the Chicago Bears’ No. 1 draft pick in exchange for star receiver DJ Moore, the Panthers’ 2023 No. 9 and 61 picks, a 2024 first-round pick , and a second-round pick in 2025, according to two people familiar with the deal.
Both spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the exchange had not been announced.
The move gives the Panthers a potential franchise quarterback — the kind of player the team has coveted for years — although it’s unclear which one the Panthers prefer.
The Bears committed to Justin Fields at quarterback and that gave them leverage to make a trade.
The Panthers have a choice of Bryce Young of Alabama University, CJ Stroud of Ohio State University, Will Levis of Kentucky University, or Anthony Richardson of Florida University.
The Panthers have been looking for quarterback stability since David Tepper bought the team in 2018.
They tried several starters – including Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Teddy Bridgewater and they even brought Cam Newton back for a second try. None of those options worked, and the Panthers haven’t made the playoffs since 2017.