Panthers Exec Denies Tommy Stevens Deal Was in Place During 2020 NFL Draft

The Carolina Panthers denied Saturday they agreed to a contract with Mississippi State quarterback Tommy Stevens during the 2020 NFL draft.

Mike Triplett of ESPN reported Thursday that Stevens had agreed to a free-agent contract with the Panthers if he wasn't drafted, which led Sean Payton and the New Orleans Saints to trade a 2021 sixth-round pick to the Houston Texans for a 2020 seventh-round pick so they could select Stevens.

According to Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio, Panthers spokesman Steve Drummond stated: "We didn't have a deal in place with the player. We had conversations like every other team."

Florio noted that while teams are allowed to speak with players during the draft about signing them if they go undrafted, they are not allowed to discuss financial terms.

Jeff Duncan of The Athletic reported the Panthers had offered Stevens a $15,000 signing bonus and $30,000 of his salary guaranteed. After initially matching the offer, the Saints upped it to $144,000 guaranteed.

When Stevens and his agent stopped answering the Saints' calls, per Duncan, Payton and Co. sprang into action by executing the trade. After striking the deal, Payton said he texted Stevens and his agent: "I'm tired of asking. Now, I'm taking."

Duncan reported the Saints envision using Stevens as a developmental quarterback as well as a utility player similar to Taysom Hill. By selecting Stevens, Payton got the best of former Saints offensive assistant Joe Brady, who is the Panthers' new offensive coordinator and had a relationship with Stevens from when they were at Penn State together in 2015-16.

Per Florio, the NFL declined to comment, though he added that a league source "predicted that both teams will be punished."