Latest 2026 NFL Draft intel suggests the Panthers are preparing to make a big move in the first-round that could change up the entire board

What would have to happen for the Panthers to trade up on Thursday night

If the Panthers want to move up, that means they have a player in mind and are worried about getting sniped. Just like how they moved up in the 2025 NFL Draft to ensure they landed Nic Scourton in the second-round.

Moving up in the first-round is different, and more expensive. You also need to have the right team willing to move back and the right package to entice them.

“Usually with trades on draft day, it usually just comes down to calling your friends and seeing if they’re willing to do a deal or not,” vice president of football operations Brandt Tilis. “Those are the ones that tend to work the best for both sides.”

One friend the Panthers could call is the Los Angeles Rams. Schrager has close connections in Los Angeles’ draft room and hinted at the Rams moving back in the first-round.

A trade from pick No. 19 to pick No. 13 wouldn’t be impossible. For context, in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Jacksonville traded the 17th overall to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for the 23rd and 167th overall picks along with a 2025 third and fourth-rounder. In 2015, the San Francisco 49ers traded the 15th overall pick to San Diego Chargers in exchange for the 17th and 117th overall picks, and a 2016 fifth-rounder.

To move from pick No. 19 to pick No. 13, it would only take an early Day 3 selection plus a future Day 2/3. The Panthers could simply offer picks No. 19 and 119 (fourth-round) along with a future third-round pick.

Doing so would allow the Panthers to jump the Detroit Lions for an offensive tackle and/or jump the Baltimore Ravens and Minnesota Vikings for a player such as tight end Kenyon Sadiq or safety Dillon Thieneman.

What would a trade down scenario look like for the Panthers

If the Panthers stay put at pick No. 19 and miss out on the run of offensive tackles, Sadiq, Thieneman, and a few top wide receivers, I can see a world in which Morgan attempts to move back.

Moving back from pick No. 19 into the mid-late 20’s could allow the Panthers to stockpile more selections. And as Schrager showed, moving back far enough could even net Carolina another second-round pick.

After doing so, I could see any of the remaining WRs (Omar Cooper Jr., Concepcion, Denzel Boston) being an option, or reaching for a player such as safety Treydan Stukes or linebacker Jacob Rodriguez.

The draft is set up to be exciting on Thursday and the Panthers are preparing for any scenario. Want to get in on the action yourself ahead of time? Play around with some of these possibilities and more using the A to Z Sports Mock Draft Simulator below.