The Carolina Panthers have something of a logjam at the quarterback position. Bryce Young is locked in as the future of the franchise, while journeyman Andy Dalton will fill the roll of veteran mentor. This leaves second-year passer Matt Corral in an awkward situation, as the team tries to find a trade partner.
Corral, a 2022 third-round pick, missed the entirety of his rookie season to injury and is reportedly going to receive the majority of the preseason reps. Obviously, nobody is going to trade for Matt Corral with the intention of making him their unquestioned starter. However, he does make sense for a team looking to upgrade their backup quarterback spot, or a team with an aging starter.
Matt Corral making it look easy pic.twitter.com/CxdvQuiTpL
— Panthers On Tap (@PanthersOnTap) July 30, 2022
Top 5 Teams That Could Trade For Matt Corral
Los Angeles Chargers
Justin Herbert recently became a much richer man, so Matt Corral would obviously not be able to challenge him for the starting job. However, the Chargers desperately need a better backup. Easton Stick and Max Duggan both leave a lot to be desired, and a Matt Corral trade would help secure the position. Corral won’t be a 1:1 replacement for Herbert in the event of injury, but his poise under pressure and short-field accuracy should allow him to do an adequate job of keeping the ship afloat.
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings and Kirk Cousins are heading into what is probably their last season together. It’s no secret that Minnesota wants a better bang for their buck, even though Cousins is one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL. If the Vikings trade for Matt Corral, they’d have an entire season to watch him in practice and see if he has what it takes to be a franchise quarterback.
Kansas City Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes is the best quarterback in the NFL, but Blaine Gabbert sure isn’t. Jacksonville’s former first-round pick has been an unmitigated disaster every time he steps on the field, and Kansas City would be in serious trouble if he ever had to play serious snaps. If Matt Corral shows any signs of promise in the preseason, the Chiefs need to think about orchestrating a trade.
Las Vegas Raiders
Jimmy Garoppolo passed his physical, which means he will start Week 1 for the Las Vegas Raiders. However, with Garoppolo, it’s only a matter of time before he’s back on the injured reserve. If that happens, Brian Hoyer will take over under center, and nobody wants to see that. The Raiders are not going to be good this year, so they might as well trade for Matt Corral and see if they can find someone that can provide some hope for the future.
Los Angeles Rams
Speaking of teams with veteran quarterbacks and terrible rosters, 2023 is going to be a long season for the Los Angeles Rams. Matthew Stafford is back, but the rest of the roster needs a lot of help. The Rams need to get younger, and Stafford’s back injury puts him at an advanced risk of re-injury. Just like the Raiders, the Rams could trade for Matt Corral, watch him in practice, and give him some playing time once the team is officially out of playoff contention.
Main Photo: Eric Canha – USA Today Sports
