Why the Carolina Panthers should be in on the Brendan Sorsby sweepstakes
Why the Carolina Panthers should be in on the Brendan Sorsby sweepstakes originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.All things considered, things went pretty well for the Carolina Panthers in 2025. The playoff drought, after seven seasons, came to a close. They won the NFC South, revived Bryce Young's career, and -- for the first time since Ron Rivera left office -- can feel confident in the coaching staff's competence.Those are all wins, and in a division that projects to be middling again in 2026, it might be enough to earn a home playoff game in back-to-back seasons.Carolina's recent success, though, is tempered by the limitations that made 2025 a nail-biter. The Panthers' biggest question mark is still quarterback, and as he enters Year 4, the former first-overall pick has lots to prove before he is cemented into Carolina's future plans.Carolina can make a splash this summerYoung will be starting for the Panthers in 2026. But there's one lever left for the Panthers to pull this offseason to upgrade the quarterback room and potentially pave a path out of purgatory: the supplemental draft.Texas Tech Red Raiders quarterback Brendan Sorsby seems unlikely to play a down in Lubbock after the NCAA opened an investigation into a gambling scandal. If Sorsby is found to have gambled on Indiana football games as a member of the team, he will almost certainly be banned from college football. Having already checked into rehab for a gambling addiction, the transfer portal's highest-rated passer may never play in his new home.Instead, he would likely enter the supplemental draft. Sorsby was eligible for the 2026 NFL Draft and seen as a mid-season riser before ultimately turning to the transfer portal instead. If the NCAA hands down a punishment, Sorsby can try his hand at the next level while avoiding a suspension.The supplemental draft works as a kind of silent auction, where teams can bid future selections (say, their 2027 second-round pick) for players deemed ineligible for NCAA competition. Most of the buzz around Sorsby suggests that it'll take a second-round pick and a fortunate tiebreaker to win his services. Others have speculated that a third-round pick could be enough, considering the inherent media storm attached to such a selection.The Panthers should be one of the teams offering up a Day 2 selection. For one, Sorsby is many of the things Young isn't as a passer. At 6'3" and 235 pounds, he looks the part in ways Young never will. Young's stature caps his impact, limiting his ability over the middle of the field, forcing him to rely more on anticipation, and shrinking the margins across his profile. He doesn't have the standout arm talent or elite athleticism necessary to write off those concerns, either.Sorsby has both tools in spades.There are certainly issues to iron out. At Cincinnati, Sorsby posted fringe Day 2 film and has long been seen as a bit of a projection. His physical traits were bound to push him up the board, and his profile wasn't bulletproof. Despite an ability to avoid turnovers, he lacked the consistency to trust as an immediate starter. Sorsby struggled with pressure -- despite limiting sacks -- and fell short against the best defenses on his schedule. He's not a starter-level processor yet, either.MORE:Lee Hunter creates mammoth minicamp impressionSorsby is an upside play, and one Carolina isn't well-positioned to add. The Panthers weren't sustainable winners in 2025. Ranking 24th and 23rd in offensive and defensive EPA/Play, respectively, there's plenty of work to be done. The playoff drought ended, but the losing season drought didn't. A -69 point differential isn't making 2026 projections any rosier.Even Young's best season failed to inspire much optimism. His career year, to date, fell almost equidistant from Tyler Shough and Spencer Rattler by EPA/Play. His career 6.0 yards per attempt is worse than David Carr and Blaine Gabbert.However, in the NFC South, anything is possible, and if Carolina finds itself in the playoffs again, it'd be awfully difficult to land a prospect with Sorsby's upside. In the supplemental draft, they'd be getting a discount on a passer with more tangible upside than Young, albeit wrapped in an off-field concern.Panthers head coach Dave Canales might be the right man to foster Sorsby's development, both on and off the field. Hired to change the trajectory of Young's career, Canales has proven success in changing quarterbacks like Geno Smith and Baker Mayfield for the better. For what it's worth, Canales also overcame off-field issues during his coaching journey.Canales may be working his magic again with Young, but there's only so much production one can coax out of this small a frame. Sitting behind Young would provide Sorsby the opportunity to refine his game like he would have at Texas Tech while insulating Carolina's passing offense and adding variance (in both directions) should Young be sidelined.Barring disaster, the Panthers won't be picking early enough to change course at quarterback in 2027, even if Young's development demands competition. Before Carolina is positioned to extend its quarterback, spending a Day 2 pick on an off-ramp could pry open a competitive window that is yet to open.More Panthers newsOne reason to worry about Xavier LegetteUDFA QB Haynes King takes perfecting plays to the parking lotMonroe Freeling growing into NFL roleJaycee Horn agrees to restructure contract
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