In a thrilling twist to their offseason strategy, the Carolina Panthers have executed a bold move by trading Brian Burns to the New York Giants, catapulting their draft capital with a 2024 second-round pick (No. 39 overall), a 2025 fifth-rounder, and an advantageous swap of this year’s fifth-round picks (sending No. 166 for No. 141).
This deal rockets Carolina into an enviable position with both the No. 33 and No. 39 picks at their disposal.
The buzz is real: Will the Panthers leverage these picks for a daring climb up the draft order, or will they stand their ground, seizing the opportunity to snap up the best talent available as the draft unfolds?
With a newly bolstered war chest of approximately $21M in cap space, the Panthers are also eyeing a strategic restructure of Taylor Moton’s hefty contract, potentially for the third time after similar maneuvers in 2022 and 2023.
His looming $30M cap hit for 2024 presents both a challenge and an opportunity for the team to navigate their financial constraints creatively.
The team’s roster has undergone a seismic overhaul, waving goodbye to a constellation of stars, including Frankie Luvu, DJ Chark, Laviska Shenault, Yetur Gross-Matos, Jeremy Chinn, Hayden Hurst, CJ Henderson, Bradley Bozeman, and Gabe Jackson. This dramatic reshuffling sets the stage for Carolina’s next chapter.
Looking ahead, the Panthers’ draft board is brimming with potential as they scout for fresh talent to fill critical positions.
The spotlight is on securing dynamic new players in EDGE/OLB, WR, C, SS, CB, and TE roles, aiming to infuse the team with fresh energy and drive them toward a future as bright as the Carolina sky. The anticipation is palpable: What bold moves will the Panthers make next in their quest for glory?
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Best Carolina Panthers Draft Props
Defensive Line/Edge: Position of First Player Drafted (+185)
DraftKings Sportsbook • 0.75 Units
The Carolina Panthers just made some headline-worthy moves as we gear up for the 2024 NFL Draft. First off, they snagged Diontae Johnson in a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers, ticking off a major item on their shopping list.
Not stopping there, they inked a two-year deal with EDGE D.J. Wonnum, stepping up their game after sending superstar Brian Burns packing to the New York Giants.
And guess what? The shopping spree didn’t end there. Carolina rolled out the red carpet for two top-tier guards, welcoming Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis to the squad via free agency.
There’s still room for more, especially when discussing OLB/EDGE. Aside from Wonnum, the Panthers are looking at DJ Johnson, their 2023 third-round pick who spent a bit too much of last season on the sidelines instead of on the field.
Now, there might be whispers that receiver is where the Panthers are hurting most. Yet, with the addition of Johnson, Carolina still has Adam Thielen and young guns Jonathan Mingo and Terrace Marshall Jr. It’s a crowded room.
However, let’s remember the allure of this year’s deep WR draft pool. It’s tempting, right? But let’s get real—carving out a spot for another pass-rusher is where the smart money is.
J.J. McCarthy: Third Overall Pick (+700)
FanDuel Sportsbook • 0.25 Units
Buckle up because the NFL Draft is about to get much more electrifying, with J.J. McCarthy making waves and turning heads. Until now, the quarterback conversation has been dominated by a trio of titans: Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Jayden Daniels, hailed as the undisputed top picks in that order.
Rumors swirled, debates raged, but that was the pecking order everyone nodded along to.
Enter the dark horse, McCarthy, who’d been quietly commanding a Jim Harbaugh-helmed Michigan offense that’s more meat and potatoes than flashy steak dinner. McCarthy wasn’t the show-stopping, arm-cannon slinging hero week in and week out.
He was more the steady hand guiding Michigan to victory by leaning heavily on their better talents: their rock-solid defense and a ground game that would make any old ball coach nod in approval.
But here’s where the plot thickens: McCarthy’s stats, while impressive on paper in 2023 (a dazzling 72.3% completion rate, 22 touchdowns to just 4 interceptions, and a hefty 9.0 yards per attempt), don’t quite capture the full picture. The Wolverines’ victories weren’t built on his arm alone, but that has yet to stop the NFL’s top brass from sitting up and taking notice.
In a world where NFL execs, general managers, and scouting departments love nothing more than to outsmart each other and buck the trend, McCarthy is suddenly the name on everyone’s lips. They’re ready to roll the dice and bet big on McCarthy, aiming to snatch him up with the third overall pick at tantalizing odds.
So, if you’re in for a draft day filled with surprises and potentially lucrative bets, J.J. McCarthy is your wild card. Will he be the one to shake up the established order and leapfrog into the top three? Only time will tell, but one thing’s for sure: the draft just got a lot more interesting.
