QB Carousel: Jake Delhomme, Former Panthers Quarterback

Step right up here. Don't be shy. The Super Bowl is over, but the NFL quarterback carousel is just beginning. You could ask yourself a question.

Do I feel lucky? What does the future hold for all 32 NFL teams at the QB position? Now I'm going to give you an opportunity to spin this wheel right here. Let's spin the wheel and find out which teams we hit today. The Carolina Panthers. Alright, let's talk some Panthers football right now with the man that led the franchise to his Super Bowl back in Super Bowl 38.

And now does a great job as a broadcaster for the team, and that is Jake Delome. Jake, appreciate the time as always. How you been? I'm great, Zach. How are you, man?

I'm doing fantastic. So, the big news from yesterday, Lamar Jackson gets the non-exclusive franchise tag. And right away, there was a report, Joe Person from The Athletic, that the Panthers are not expected to be in on the Lamar Jackson market.

Do you think that's a mistake? Listen, I think whoever is going to offer him a contract, to be honest with you, I think the Ravens are going to match him. That's my opinion.

I think they might have had some issues with negotiations and they just wanted him to see what's out there. And I think whatever team offers, the Ravens are going to match him. That's my belief. Too good of a football player not to have on your football team.

I do know this. Would I love to call a game weekly knowing Lamar Jackson lined up at quarterback Carolina? You bet. He's a dynamic football player. I saw it firsthand when the Panthers played up in Baltimore this year. But I just don't foresee Baltimore letting him walk, to be quite honest. And you know David Tepper would probably shell out the cash.

He may annoy some of the owners in the NFL. And I think the Panthers would be a tremendous destination, Jake Delone, because you got a good offensive line now. You have D.J.

Moore and you have a pretty damn good defense in a weak division. You're right about that. But here's the question we don't know. We don't know what the contract demands are.

And that's the thing. So much has been said and we don't really know exactly the whole Deshaun Watson chase last year. It looked like it was down to New Orleans and Atlanta. Cleveland was out. The Panthers were out.

And then boom, here comes Cleveland with the $250 million guaranteed. So we're not exactly sure where those other teams bowed out in regards to the financial implications or demands, I guess you could say. So that's what we just don't know. And I'm anxious to see if there's a team that's going to want to meet whatever those demands are.

And we don't know. But I just hope for his sake he gets the best deal for himself. He's a talented football player who's done some great things in the NFL. I'd love to see him be rewarded. I wouldn't want to see him, you know, just play on a tag and then there's an injury or something like that.

You'd like to see somebody have some security. Jake Delome here with us. The Panthers' draft position, they currently sit at 9. There is a thought that they're going to move up in the draft and go get a quarterback. Do you have a preference on one of these younger quarterbacks in the draft right now? Man, that would be hard for me to say, Zach, to be quite honest.

Most of my days on Saturdays are traveling to the Panther games. So to say that I have a full gamut of research done on all four, the quarterbacks that are being talked about, that would be injustice on my part. But listen, I think the young kid, Bryce Young, just watching him play because I've seen him play a lot at Alabama. There's just something about him.

I do understand the size concerns. But then again, the way the NFL is going, you can't sneeze on a quarterback anymore. The Stroud kid, I thought he was a really good football player. Then I watched him play against Georgia and he did things in that game. And that's an NFL defense. That's not just a good college defense. That's an NFL defense he played against. And I saw him play lights out.

And that was something that kind of opened my eyes. The Levis kid, I can't say I've watched a ton of them. I've watched a few games. You hear the people say this year, offensive line wasn't good and things of that nature. But he did turn the ball over a decent amount. A big, strong guy.

And then the Richardson kid, listen, he's a Greek god is what he looks like. And I know there are people wanting to compare him somewhat to the Cam Newton. But the thing is, I don't like hearing that because Cam Newton wasn't a good college football player. He was great. He played one year of college football and was absolutely great. And was a great NFL player for many years.

And then the injury started to happen. So I know he's a young kid, Richardson, with a ton of upside to say the least. So I saw Scott Fitterer and all those guys and Frank Wright. And certainly they're going to get together and they've got to make the right decision. Does Carolina love one of these guys that they move up to get one?

Or do they think someone's going to fall at nine? That's what's so great about what's going to be taking place here pretty soon with free agency and leading up to the draft. Jake Delome here with us. So we know Matt Ruhle was fired early in the season. Steve Wilks did an admirable job taking over as the interim head coach. There was a big push from a lot of people, including yours truly, for Steve Wilks to get the job.

It ends up going to Frank Reich. Just where was your approval rating at on the higher Frank Reich going to the Carolina Panthers? I think I had two emotions. I felt I really hurt for Steve Wilks because I truly believe he's a head coach in the National Football League.

I was not given a fair opportunity, in my opinion, in Arizona. I hurt for him, but I was also happy for Frank Reich because I truly believe Frank Reich is a very good NFL football coach. That's just my opinion. I love the staff that he has put together in Carolina. I think it's an extremely smart, educated football staff with a lot of youth mixed in. I think there's a great balance.

So both ways. I love where Steve Wilks landed. I'm so happy for him to go to San Francisco. I think he's got a little bit of talent, I guess you could say, with that defense to work with.

But Frank Reich, I got to know Frank a little bit when I played in Carolina and certainly the way everyone talks about him. He's a really good offensive football coach, but he's a better person. I think he's kind of established a coaching staff in the NFL that I think you can put up with any other coaching staff in the NFL. The division right now, I would give the edge to the Saints just because we know who their quarterback is going to be. We'll see who the Panthers. I think they're the biggest threat to the Saints in this division just depending on who the quarterback is going to be. But how did you kind of evaluate that move by the Saints the other day to go out there and snag Derek Carr? It certainly seemed like they were the ones that were the most interested just from early on.

He actually went and visited New Orleans early on. Dennis Allen did have Derek early in his career. So they were making a move. It's hard to replace a legend.

I think they found out the hard way. Drew Brees was a little bit different than your average quarterback. So they're trying to get someone because they truly believe that roster is still somewhat intact in New Orleans that they can make a push.

So I think Derek felt comfortable there. I think the AFC stacked with quarterbacks. So probably a good decision on his part maybe to head to the NFC. Like you said, Tampa, we don't know where that situation is going to take place. What's going to happen there with Tom being gone and some other players moved on from Atlanta. I understand they're still rebuilding. But I think that could be a quicker rebuild than most people think. That was not a bad football team this year.

Arthur Smith, a really good football coach. And I just think if they kind of keep on hitting with some of these draft picks and some of these young guys keep developing, that's a team that could... I think the NFC South, I truly believe that.

I think that could turn around quicker than maybe the outside world believes. You know this, you've got to get some more quarterbacks in that division. You have to win in this league without having a quarterback. Yeah, you have to hit.

I mean that's it. You have to hit either via free agency and we'll see how that plays out. And that would be the Saints and then the draft-wise. Does Atlanta, do they go with the Ritter kid or do they trade the rumors out there? Do they trade for Lamar Jackson and things like that?

So it's going to be interesting. And the Panthers, what exactly is going to happen there? Is it through the draft? Is it via free agency?

So who knows, but definitely you have to have a quarterback. There's no doubt. Jake Delone, we appreciate the time as always. Thank you. Thank you, Zach. Have a good evening.