Panthers Trade for Bears No. 1 Pick: What it Means for No. 2 Texans

The Panthers have acquired the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. But how does it affect the Houston Texans?

HOUSTON — The 2023 NFL Draft is starting to get interesting for the Houston Texans.

According to reports, the Chicago Bears traded the No. 1 overall pick to the Carolina Panthers Friday afternoon. In exchange, the Panthers have sent the No. 9 pick and No. 61st pick of this year's draft. A 2024 first-round pick. A second-round pick in 2025. And wide receiver D.J. Moore. 

With the Panthers being one of a handful of quarterback-needy teams entering the draft, Carolina will have the top choice between prospects C.J. Stroud or Bryce Young.

The Texans hold the No. 2 pick and will have their pick of the latter. But general manager Nick Caserio made it clear during the NFL Scouting Combine that the Texans are not one-track-minded when it comes to improving their quarterback room. 

"You’re making decisions based on what you think is best for your organization and your team,” Caserio said. Right now, we have 11 draft picks, so call it 10 to 12 draft picks. Then, however many players we sign after free agency."

Unless the Panthers are targeting Anthony Richardson, who has been compared to former league MVP Cam Newton, Carolina will draft either Stroud or Young with the top overall pick. 

The two respective parties have established themselves as the top two quarterback prospects.

Regardless of the player left on the draft board, the Texans are in a win-win situation come the second overall pick in late April. But Young has a slight edge over his counterpart. 

Young finished his college career at Alabama, throwing for 8,356 yards while completing 65.8 percent of his passes. He also threw for 80 touchdowns and a dozen interceptions.

In three seasons at Ohio State, Stroud completed 69.3 percent of his pass attempts for 8,123 yards. He added 85 touchdowns and a dozen interceptions.

According to ESPN, the Texans had informed each coaching candidate during the interview process they planned on using their top selection in the draft on a quarterback.

"When you’re evaluating quarterbacks, different quarterbacks can do a lot of different things," coach DeMeco Ryans said. "I think the system is built around the quarterback as opposed to trying to fit a quarterback into a certain system.

"It’s all about the player that you have, not only a quarterback but a receiver. It’s about just making sure that a player has the right tools and you’re putting him in a spot where he can thrive."

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You can follow Coty M. Davis on Twitter at @CotyDavis_24

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