Panthers’ QB room is as set as it’s going to be for training camp after NFL made controversial decision with Brendan Sorsby
The Carolina Panthers were viewed as a dark horse team to watch for Brendan Sorsby. We will never know whether or not the Panthers were actually interested in adding the former Texas Tech quarterback after the NFL’s shocking decision.
The Carolina Panthers somehow found themselves in the Brendan Sorsby conversation after being linked by numerous NFL experts as a potential dark horse team to watch to potentially land the former Texas Tech quarterback in the Supplemental Draft.
Sorsby was involved in a gambling scandal and fought to regain his eligibility through the legal system with the NCAA to play in 2026. Despite winning that battle, Sorsby turned his attention toward the NFL instead, hoping to get drafted in the rarely used Supplemental Draft in late July. The NFL crushed those dreams on Tuesday.
“We are in receipt of your petition for special eligibility dated June 16, 2026. As announced earlier today, the league has elected not to conduct a supplemental draft this year,” the NFL announced.
What does this mean, if anything, for the Carolina Panthers?
Whether or not the Panthers would have been interested in Sorsby is anyone’s guess. Considering the actual QB-needy teams willing to offer a top pick for a long-term quarterback option, it’s unlikely the Panthers would have even considered this.
That didn’t stop people from speculating though, and the reason why is because not a lot of people are confident in Carolina’s current quarterback room.
Bryce Young is entering his fourth season with the team and still having to prove himself as a franchise quarterback worthy of a long-term deal. He’s made positive strides, but clearly not enough and who’s to say he can eventually reach that level.
Behind him, the Panthers made the decision to trade away veteran quarterback Andy Dalton and replace him with former first-round pick Kenny Pickett, who’s now on his fifth team in five years. Pickett’s also only on a one-year deal and doesn’t envision himself staying in Carolina for long.
Therefore, the Panthers don’t really have a surefire long-term option at the position, both as a starter and as a reliable backup. Sorsby, in theory, could have offered that for the Panthers if the team was willing to cough up a winning bid, but not anymore.
As things stand, Carolina will head into training camp next month with a quarterback room consisting of Young, Pickett, UDFA rookie Haynes King, and journeyman Will Grier. It’s not the most promising group and I honestly don’t think the Panthers were ever willing to make any other upgrades from what they currently have. At least we can put one offseason narrative to bed.