Why swapping first-round picks makes sense for Panthers, 49ers

The Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers; each has something the other one wants.

According to Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller, San Francisco wants to trade out of the No. 2 spot and Carolina wants to move up in the draft to select LSU running back Leonard Fournette or Stanford defensive end Solomon Thomas. The rumor going around is that the Panthers are trying to obtain the 49ers’ No. 2 pick.

Here’s why swapping first-round picks actually makes sense for both teams:

By trading up with San Francisco, the Panthers would be in a position to do one of two things: upgrade the running back position or add some-much needed depth at defensive end. Fournette, who has been compared to Bo Jackson and Adrian Peterson among others, would be an upgrade over 30-year-old Jonathan Stewart, who led the Panthers in rushing a year ago. Likewise, Thomas, the second-highest graded prospect at his position in the draft, would add depth at defensive end, where 37-year-old Julius Peppers and 30-year-old Charles Johnson are slated to be the Panthers’ starters next season.

In exchange for moving up to the No. 2 spot, Carolina would likely surrender the No. 8 pick, the second-round pick it acquired from New England in a trade for defensive end Kony Ealy last month and any additional picks the 49ers might want.

As for the 49ers, by trading down with Carolina, they gain additional picks for first-year GM John Lynch to work with. And with so many needs to fill heading into the draft, Lynch can use all the draft picks he can get. As for what they’d do with the No. 8 pick, it sounds like the 49ers have their eye on Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster, who they “love,” according to Miller.

It’s not hard to see why, either. The 49ers have lost some good linebackers over the years to retirement and such, and Foster is the best linebacker this year’s draft class has to offer. If San Francisco were to draft Foster while also adding more picks, then that’s step in the right direction for the rebuilding franchise.

This trades makes sense for both teams, but we’ll have to wait and see if the feeling mutual between the Panthers and 49ers. Right now, there is “nothing in the works,” according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.

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