Will the Carolina Panthers be players in the Derek Carr sweepstakes? The team’s new head coach Frank Reich declined to tip his hand one way or another while discussing the longtime Las Vegas Raiders quarterback.
When asked about his team’s interest in hosting the free agent passer for a visit at their facility like the New Orleans Saints and New York Jets, Reich told ESPN’s David Newton that it was a “Really interesting question,” adding that he wasn’t prepared to get into the specifics of such a meeting.
Pressed to share some insight on the team’s plan under center, Reich said that he and his quarterbacks coach Josh McCown spent several hours in his office discussing the vision for a path forward. Whether that means targeting a rookie with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2023 draft or pushing their chips in on a veteran free agent like Carr remains unclear.
For his part, Carr is expected to weigh all of his options before agreeing to sign with a new team. He’s experiencing free agency for the first time in his pro career and he clearly wants to see what’s out there. That means stops with New Orleans, New York, and potentially Carolina, among other suitors. Fans will have to hurry up and wait this out, though it would be a surprise if Carr doesn’t sign somewhere prior to the start of free agency on March 15.