4 Trade Packages Panthers Must Consider for No. 8 Pick in 2025 NFL Draft

The Carolina Panthers will be open for business on Day 1 of the 2025 NFL draft.

According to Joseph Person of The Athletic, the club may consider moving down from its No. 8 slot "depending on what happens in front of them in the draft."

While the Panthers may covet a certain prospect, the additional capital the organization could acquire from a move down is undoubtedly enticing, especially if a high-end quarterback is still up for grabs when Carolina is on the clock and rival organizations are willing to pay a premium.

Because Carolina will continue rolling with Bryce Young—who finally started displaying consistent glimpses of the talent that led to him being picked No. 1 overall in 2023—as its starting signal-caller, it's an obvious trade candidate for any squad looking to move up and capitalize on the availability of a blue-chip passer.

Although Cam Ward is trending towards becoming the No. 1 overall pick this year, there appears to be a real possibility Shedeur Sanders will still be on the board at No. 8.

The Colorado product is a prime candidate to be the catalyst for what could become the first trade involving a first-round selection in the 2025 draft.

In their latest mock draft, the Bleacher Report Scouting Department predicted Sanders will land with the New Orleans Saints at No. 9 overall.

It's a reasonable floor for him given recent reports that Derek Carr may miss the 2025 season, a fact that rival franchises will be aware of and could prompt a big move up the board on draft night.

With that in mind, here's a look at four trade packages Carolina must consider for the No. 8 pick.

Cleveland Browns

AP Photo/Michael Conroy

Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry

Panthers receive: 2025 second-round pick (No. 33), 2025 fourth-round pick (No. 104) 2026 first-round pick (TBD), 2026 second-round pick (TBD)

Browns receive: 2025 first-round pick (No. 8)

The Cleveland Browns will have a shot at drafting a quarterback prospect when they are on the clock at No. 2 overall on April 24, but there's a strong possibility they opt to go a different direction with this pick.

With elite prospects like CB/WR Travis Hunter and edge-rusher Abdul Carter—the top prospects on the Bleacher Report Scouting Department's big board—sure to be available after the Tennessee Titans make their pick, few could fault Cleveland for choosing a can't-miss player at No. 2.

As great as those prospects are, drafting either would still leave Cleveland with Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco vying to become its starting quarterback in 2025.

It’s not exactly a recipe for success, which is why the Browns could shake things up by trading back into the first round with the goal of landing their quarterback of the future.

The Houston Texans executed a similar trade in 2023, selecting quarterback C.J. Stroud at No. 2 before making a blockbuster deal to acquire the No. 3 pick and nabbing top-ranked prospect Will Anderson Jr. with it.

The bold move panned out as both players have gone on to earn Pro Bowl selections while transforming the Texans into a Super Bowl contender.

Making this type of trade—which would likely result in the Panthers getting the first pick in Round 2 in addition to a future first and more Day 2 capital—would allow the Browns to pick up Shedeur Sanders and solidify their quarterback room.

It would also uniquely afford the Browns a chance to keep the Sanders-Hunter battery together. There's a clear benefit in doing so, as they have a fantastic rapport after playing four seasons together at both Jackson State and Colorado and would be able to hit the ground running in the NFL.

Los Angeles Rams

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Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead

Panthers receive: 2025 first-round pick (No. 26 overall), 2025 third-round pick (No. 90 overall, 2025 sixth-round pick (No. 202 overall), 2026 first-round pick (TBD)

Rams receive: 2025 first-round pick (No. 8 overall)

The Los Angeles Rams may be gearing up to make another Super Bowl run, but they must start considering their future and life without Matthew Stafford.

While L.A. has generally taken a certain approach towards roster construction under general manager Les Snead—notably exchanging a slew of draft capital for stars such as Stafford, Jalen Ramsey and Von Miller ahead of a successful Super Bowl LVI run—and brought in veterans such as Davante Adams to retool ahead of the 2025 campaign, the team can't afford to wait much longer to find the quarterback's heir.

It's doubtful the Rams will be able to unearth their quarterback of the future from the No. 26 overall draft slot, but a trade up the board could put them in position to land Shedeur Sanders and stop his fall in the first round.

Sanders may not see the field as a rookie, but the allure of a big market, marquee stadium and creative offense orchestrated by head coach Sean McVay should still have the Colorado product excited about the opportunity.

Even with Stafford recently having his deal reworked in a bid to keep him around for up to two more seasons, the 16-year veteran has missed 11 games over the last three campaigns. It certainly won't be any easier for the two-time Pro Bowler to stay on the field as he gears up for an age-37 season.

If Stafford falls off due to regression or injury, Sanders could take the reins on a full-time basis as early as the 2026 season.

The signal-caller would be well-positioned for instant success with a supporting cast that includes top wideouts such as Puka Nacua and Adams, a stout offensive line and one of the league's more consistent rushing attacks.

New Orleans Saints

AP Photo/Matthew Hinton

New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis

Panthers receive: 2025 first-round pick (No. 9 overall), 2025 fourth-round pick (No. 112), 2025 seventh-round pick (No. 248)

Saints receive: 2025 first-round pick (No. 8 overall)

The New Orleans Saints were dealt a devastating blow last week when it was revealed starting quarterback Derek Carr is dealing with a shoulder injury that could limit his availability for the 2025 season.

While the 34-year-old wasn't a long-term solution for the Saints, he has fared relatively well as their top signal-caller over the last two seasons and still has two years left on his contract.

The Saints weren't pressed to address the position with an early pick in the 2025 draft, although the injury has flipped the script and it now makes sense for New Orleans to target a potential franchise quarterback on Day 1.

The Saints could sit back and hope Sanders falls to No. 9 overall—a spot where many experts foresee him coming off the board—but the team may want to be more proactive to avoid being leapfrogged on draft night.

It may be the smallest possible move up the board, but trading for the No. 8 slot would give the Saints more security in their quest to land Sanders.

With Carolina sending out signals that it's willing to deal, New Orleans should be highly interested in acquiring the selection and blocking rivals from making a move.

It will cost them some extra capital to get a deal done—the Minnesota Vikings orchestrated a similar deal to secure J.J. McCarthy in 2024, trading the Nos. 11, 129 and 157 overall picks to the New York Jets in exchange for Nos. 10 and 203—but it's the type of move that would improve the chances of acquiring a franchise-altering prospect like Sanders.

Pittsburgh Steelers

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Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan

Panthers receive: 2025 first-round pick (No. 21 overall), 2025 third-round pick (No. 83 overall), 2025 seventh-round pick (No. 229 overall), 2026 first-round pick (TBD)

Steelers receive: 2025 first-round pick (No. 8 overall)

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been struggling to find an offensive identity following the retirement of longtime quarterback Ben Roethlisberger three years ago.

They have cycled through five starting signal-callers in the seasons since, all of whom are either no longer with the team anymore or—in Mason Rudolph's case—recently returned after a short, unsuccessful stint away from the club.

With Rudolph and 2022 seventh-round pick Skylar Thompson the only QBs currently under contract, the Steelers are stuck hoping Aaron Rodgers will continue his NFL journey with them rather than calling it a career this offseason.

There is another path the club could take, though. There's some risk attached to it, but Pittsburgh could opt for a bold trade up from the No. 21 slot and into the top 10 with the goal of landing a potential franchise passer.

If the Steelers do move up into the Panthers' No. 8 slot and ultimately secure Shedeur Sanders, it would represent their highest quarterback selection since Terry Bradshaw was their No. 1 overall pick in 1970.

That choice clearly paid dividends, as Bradshaw shook off a shaky start to his career to help the Steelers dominate the decade with four Super Bowl wins between 1974 and 1979.

Making a run at Sanders won't be cheap—Pittsburgh would likely need to give up a good portion of its meager six selections in this year's draft—but it's the type of calculated risk it needs to take if it wants to truly compete.

The club has been too good to bottom out and earn a top draft pick, but not dangerous enough to be a serious Super Bowl contender.

Sanders could change the Steelers' fortunes instantly, giving the franchise hope for the future and a player to build around for years to come.