NFL Rumors: Panthers Have 'No Interest' in Trading No. 1 Pick in 2023 NFL Draft

The Carolina Panthers sold the farm to trade up for the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL draft and have no intention of selling it back.

Peter King of NBC Sports reported Monday that the Panthers have "no interest" in trading back to recoup some of the assets they sent to the Chicago Bears earlier this month. Carolina remains all-in on taking its choice of the top quarterbacks in this class, with Ohio State's C.J. Stroud and Alabama's Bryce Young being the likeliest candidates.

The Panthers traded picks Nos. 9 and 61 in the 2023 draft, their 2024 first-round selection, a 2025 second-rounder and wide receiver D.J. Moore to the Bears to move up and select their quarterback of the future.

Stroud is considered the overwhelming favorite for the top pick at -330 ($330 bet wins $100), according to DraftKings Sportsbook. Panthers management has been noncommittal about the quarterback class, aside from saying it likes more than one quarterback.

"We have conviction on [multiple] players at the top that we feel good about," general manager Scott Fitterer told reporters. "I'm not going to go into it, but we feel good about being in this position."

While Fitterer may believe there are two or three franchise guys in this class, the team didn't trade up to No. 1 to move back and then get its second or third choice. This was a calculated all-in push, and it's likely Fitterer is merely playing coy with the public and has known who he would be taking all along.

It would be illogical to back down now.