How does the Matt Stafford/Jared Goff deal impact the Panthers’ QB plans?

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“Let’s start this party with a bang!” So said Tommy Lee Jones’ version of Two-Face at the beginning of 1995’s Batman Forever. That’s essentially the spirit the Los Angeles Rams and the Detroit Lions embraced when they kicked off what’s poised to be an absolutely crazy offseason by making a blockbuster Saturday night quarterback trade.

Only hours earlier, it was reported that the Carolina Panthers were one of the teams who were involved in discussions to trade for Detroit QB Matt Stafford. Six other teams were also in the running. The Lions reportedly wanted a deal done by the Super Bowl, though and moved fast. Detroit sent Stafford to LA in exchange for Jared Goff, two first-round draft picks and a third-round pick as well.

The word “FLEECED” was trending on Twitter shortly after, thanks to casual fans who got it exactly wrong in believing that the Lions got the better of the deal.

While the Rams admittedly gave up a ton of draft capital for a near-33 year old QB, they got a massive upgrade at the most important position in the sport and even more importantly got out from under one of the NFL’s most onerous contracts. Goff’s cap hits will cost the Lions around $128 million over the next four years and without Sean McVay’s playcalling to prop him up, Goff’s extremely limited game will almost certainly tank in Detroit.

Meanwhile, the Rams got the one missing piece to complete a team that’s been on the verge of winning something big for a few years now. With Stafford leading the way, they have to be considered serious contenders to win the NFC in 2021.

So, how does this impact the Panthers other than the conference getting a little tougher and Stafford being taken out of the equation?

First, it offers some clarity for folks who believed that the price of trading for a new franchise QB could possibly be reasonable in this economy. If Stafford nets two firsts and a third, any Deshaun Watson deal is almost certain to cost a crippling amount of draft capital for whatever team that trades for him – despite dealing with an incompetent Houston Texans front office.

That pricetag is simply too high for a team that’s rebuilding like Carolina.

Some analysts believe that this deal doesn’t necessarily preclude Detroit from picking a QB at No. 7, but that seems unlikely to us. The Lions wouldn’t have taken on Goff’s ghastly contract if they didn’t see him as their long-term starter at the position. We can safely assume they won’t be drafting a quarterback at that spot. However, it does make it more likely they could trade back with a team that is still in the QB market which would make it more difficult for the Panthers to get one.

At No. 8, we can assume at least three of the top four prospects at the position will be off the board. The question will be if Trey Lance is still available and if the Panthers will select him or choose to wait and take a chance on a second-tier QB like Alabama’s Mac Jones – who apparently made a big impression on coach Matt Rhule at the Senior Bowl.

Another avenue that hasn’t been discussed much is the free agent market. There are several intriguing names worth considering, starting with Dak Prescott and Jameis Winston. With Stafford and Watson out of reach, Carolina could be more open to signing a veteran.

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