Report: Panthers Didn't Pursue Justin Herbert in Draft Trade to Avoid Hurting Team

The Carolina Panthers' scouting department reportedly recommended the team trade up in the 2020 NFL draft to select Justin Herbert, but former general manager Marty Hurney and former head coach Matt Rhule declined to pursue a deal.

Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported there were concerns moving up from the No. 7 pick in 2020 "could hurt other areas of the team."

The Los Angeles Chargers selected Herbert with the No. 6 pick. Carolina used its first-round pick on defensive tackle Derrick Brown, who has been solid but is nowhere near the franchise-changing talent of Herbert.

The Herbert decision is one of a cornucopia of gaffes during Hurney's second tenure in Carolina. Hurney consistently clashed with owner David Tepper and Rhule over their preference for data-driven decisions before his ouster in December 2020. Carolina fired Rhule five games into the 2022 season after he posted an 11-27 record—a failure largely caused by ineptitude at the quarterback position.

Herbert has become an instant star in Los Angeles, winning Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2020 and making his first Pro Bowl last season. The Chargers haven't reached the postseason yet with Herbert at the helm, but they have a franchise face for at least the next decade whereas Carolina is in the early start of another rebuild.

There's something to be said for wanting to build a depth-laden team, but there's a reason teams continually mortgage their futures for quarterbacks. There are only so many competent ones—let alone ones with Herbert's potential.

If the Carolina scouts felt that strongly about Herbert in 2020, it was a no-brainer to make a move—even without the benefit of hindsight.