Panthers Reportedly Open to Trade Down amid Saints Draft Rumors Around Sanders, Dart

The Carolina Panthers are "open" to trading down from the No. 8 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft, according to Joseph Person of The Athletic.

The Panthers' decision to potentially move back will depend on "what happens in front of them in the draft," per Person.

Teams looking to select a quarterback such as Shedeur Sanders or Jaxson Dart could be interested in trading up, as the New Orleans Saints own the No. 9 pick and might target a signal-caller with Derek Carr's status for the 2025 season uncertain due to a shoulder injury.

New Orleans has been linked to both prospects throughout the pre-draft process.

Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reported that the Saints met with Sanders at the scouting combine in Indianapolis.

They also spent "considerable time" with Dart in interviews, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The Saints were projected to select Sanders with the No. 9 choice in the most recent mock draft from Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Department, while the Panthers stood pat at No. 8 and added Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan.

Carolina also may not move back due to the reported lack of teams attempting to trade up in the draft compared to past years.

Still, the Panthers appear to be a candidate to trade down and allow another organization to jump ahead of a Saints team that seems to have multiple quarterbacks on their radar.