Now famously known to be “in on every deal,” Carolina Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer never shies away from making a move. And while he generally prefers to move back when it comes to swapping draft capital, he made an exception for not one, but two players this spring.
The first of which, of course, was quarterback Bryce Young. Carolina offered four premium picks and standout receiver DJ Moore to blitz atop the board back on March 10.
The second came during the draft itself with their third-round pick in outside linebacker DJ Johnson—who Fitterer talks about in the third and final episode of “Panthers Blueprint.”
“I love movin’ back because you acquire picks,” Fitterer said. “But sometimes when you get a player who fills a need, that fits the athletic profile and does exactly what you want—that’s when it’s worth it. That’s when you go up and take a shot.”
So, they did—shipping off the 93rd and 132nd picks to the Pittsburgh Steelers for the 80th to secure the University of Oregon pass rusher. Oh, and perhaps appropriately enough, it was Nicole Tepper who made the call to the Steel City in getting the deal done.
Chief Administrative Officer of Tepper Sports and Entertainment and wife of owner David Tepper, Nicole has played an integral part behind the scenes in recent years. From establishing a healthy culture within the organization to attending pro days, Tepper’s been a highly-acclaimed member of the Carolina braintrust.
And now, she can add “wheelin’ and dealin'” to the job list.
