The Cincinnati Bengals are expected to take Joe Burrow with the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft barring a godfather offer. It now appears increasingly likely that the Carolina Panthers might explore making that offer.
According to Pro Football Network’s Benjamin Allbright, there’s increasing belief n the NFL that the Panthers will make a push to move up to the No. 1 pick.
Panthers owner David Tepper has shown a willingness to do whatever it takes to get what he wants. He lured Matt Rhule away from Baylor with a seven-year, $60 million contract and convinced Joe Brady to leave the LSU Tigers for Carolina.
While the cost to move up from the No. 6 overall selection to the top pick might be exorbitant, the Panthers might believe Joe Burrow is exactly the quarterback they need.
Carolina could pair Burrow with the coach that was the most influential in his success, joining them together to make things happen in the NFL. The Panthers could then trade Cam Newton for draft picks to recoup some of the compensation they might give up to get the No. 1 pick.
While the Bengals remain likely to keep the pick for themselves to bring Burrow into the organization, it only takes one massive offer to change things. If any owner would be willing to overpay to get Burrow, Tepper might be just the guy to do it.