The Panthers were widely expected to trade down in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft.
In the days leading up to the draft, there were reports that they were eager and willing to slide back a few spots and pick up more picks. In the end, they decided to take Derrick Brown instead and the only trade they made in the draft was moving up at the end of the second round to get Jeremy Chinn.
So, what happened? According to Joe Person at the Athletic, head coach Matt Rhule was much more interested in trading down for more picks but in the end general manager Marty Hurney wanted Brown and overruled him.
Here’s what Person said last week on WFNZ.
“I was told that Matt Rhule was very open and eager to trade back in the first round. He wanted to add a couple more picks if they could find that sweet spot maybe in the teens somewhere and that Marty was kind of like you know what? Derrick Brown’s our guy. We’re not moving.”
Interesting stuff.
In his defense, Hurney has an excellent track record when it comes to making first-round picks. Some of them are even going to be in the Hall of Fame. However, moving down for more picks would have been a better strategy given his team’s plethora of needs. It’s also difficult to justify passing on Isaiah Simmons, who is a far more athletic and versatile prospect than Brown.
In any case, Hurney’s contract is now up. It will be interesting to see if team owner David Tepper re-ups his deal or if they’ll bring in somebody else.
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