The Carolina Panthers seem to be open to trading their 2022 third-round pick during the beginning stages of their rebuild, what does Matt Corral’s future hold?
Nearly immediately after news broke of the Panthers’ blockbuster trade with the Chicago Bears to get the first overall pick, the position was all but certain. Carolina was slated to take a quarterback and begin a massive rebuild that would try to bring the city of Charlotte back to relevancy. Lost in the pizzazz and the news coverage was the future of Matt Corral, a Matt Rhule-era 3rd round pick only a year ago that was set to be the next man up for the Panthers.
Now it seems like the future of Corral is in serious peril.
The Carolina Panthers have alluded to the fact that the team was open to moving Corral. The Frank Reich regime in Charlotte has taken hold and the idea that the Panthers would start a complete overhaul of their roster wasn’t beyond imagination. Corral was a 3rd round pick just one season ago in 2022 chosen with the 94th selection out of Ole Miss. During his final game in college, Matt Corral ended up breaking his leg in a bowl game versus Baylor and subsequently was a question mark for the beginning of the 2022 season.
Corral’s first game was a highlight reel, showing promise on a young Panthers team that had serious holes at the quarterback position. The 24-year old was set to be in a deadlocked quarterback battle with Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold before ultimately suffering a season ending Lisfranc injury in a preseason game against the Patriots. The injury would knock Corral out of the running and an afterthought on the Panthers roster.
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Now, fast forward nearly 10 months later and this Carolina team looks eons different. A new head coach, a number-one overall pick, and a refreshed philosophy being instilled deep within the team draws fickle concern about Corral’s future with the team despite it not even being a full season since his league inception. On March 14th the team signed veteran quarterback Andy Dalton, presumably as a veteran presence to whatever quarterback they’ll select come April, all but sealing Corral’s fate on the team. It’s clear Matt Corral will never be the guy in the blue and silver and teams looking for a quarterback are in prime position to get a quarterback with potential for cheap.
With the team shifting their focus solely on the number one overall pick, it’s apparent that Carolina has opted to put all their chips on fresh talent that divests Matt Corral of any vestige of a pre-Frank Reich offense.
The Panthers have made a bald-faced effort to show the league they’re not afraid to get rid of any pieces, with owner David Tepper choosing to rid the team of long-time staples by the likes of Christian McCaffery, Robbie Anderson– who the Panthers signed in 2020, and DJ Moore whom the team shipped away to Chicago as part of the package that rendered the first overall pick in Carolina. Now, Corral, while young, is at danger of suffering the same fate, for better or worse.
The Panthers have declined to say whether or not the team has received trade offered, but has stated that they are not actively shopping Matt Corral or seeking trade offers on their own power. Instead, the team has only said that they would be open to and entertain trade offers. The price presumably wouldn’t be high, the Panthers should be willing to lose draft capital on the pick, with pundits reporting the price for the quarterback as a late round pick.
For a young team in the middle of a paradigm shift, this is as perfect as it gets. Get an extra quarterback off the roster and invest in draft picks– for Frank Reich and GM Scott Fitterer, it’s a dream come true.
Baltimore Ravens
Corral to Baltimore may sound far-fetched, but this a team that’s built to win without Lamar Jackson come 2023. In the past the team has focused solely on Jackson’s abilities, however with the Lamar Jackson fiasco, it’s apparent the team has other priorities. While on a non-exclusive franchise tag, Jackson could end up going anywhere and his presence in Baltimore isn’t set in stone.
Even with being tagged, Jackson is still on a one-year deal with the two sides lightyears away in contract talks. Corral could be either next up sitting behind Lamar Jackson or a segue into another young quarterback in the direction John Harbaugh wants to take the team. Corral’s running, mobile style nets him a proper distinction in Baltimore where the option/RPO offense has taken foothold with the team’s unique abilities at quarterback.
Lamar Jackson’s time in Baltimore may be coming to an end if the team decides he’s too much of a hassle to bring back– setting up a perfect scenario of Corral to be the Ravens’ starter for cheap.
Seattle Seahawks
Seattle might be the last place that one might think needs a quarterback after the team inked veteran quarterback Geno Smith to a 3-year big time deal to stay with the team. However, Geno is the only quarterback currently rostered on the team and after the three years its up it’s hard to see a return to Seattle in the books for an aging quarterback that has hung around with an average squad.
Corral could be the guy to come in and work towards a starting role deep down in his career, sitting behind a veteran quarterback and not have to succumb to the constant turnover he witnessed in his sole season in Carolina. It’s unlikely that the Seahawks will spend valuable draft capital on a backup quarterback, and the virtue of getting a cheap quality one in Corral could entice John Schneider to make a surprising move.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
After signing Baker Mayfield, Corral would be great in terms of a reunion in West Florida. The Bucs are still in limbo after the retirement of Tom Brady and are in search of a long-term option at quarterback. Currently, the team has Kyle Trask and Mayfield on their ledger but the two seem like mid to low quality options.
While Corral may not jump out as a long term starter, it’s certainly worth a shot. The Buccaneers would have to cut one of the three if our Magic 8-Ball is correct and sends Matt Corral to Tampa, but the quarterback battle throughout the fall would be something to watch. The NFC South is a wide open division, and the Buccaneers could take it through some decent quarterback play with their stout defense, and Corral could be an option Jason Licht would be somewhat interested in.
