The Panthers finally made the quarterback move everyone expected, trading three draft picks (including a future second and fourth) to the Jets for Sam Darnold. But with the 2021 NFL Draft approaching and some other names still on the market, Carolina may not be done making moves just yet.

Panthers GM Scott Fitterer told the team’s official website that the Darnold trade won’t dictate what they do with the No. 8 overall pick – and a quarterback may still be in play.

“This doesn’t take out of anything in the draft,” Fitterer said. “It doesn’t take us out of taking a quarterback, it doesn’t take us out of taking any position. What we wanted to do going into this draft, through free agency, through this trade with Sam, was to just get rid of all the needs we have. We wanted to get to a place where the roster was in a good spot, and we could take the best available player at number eight.

“We could always move up, and we could always move back, but this puts us in a position to make the right football decision for this team moving forward.”

It may put them in a less desperate position if they still have eyes on a QB. Before the trade, they might have felt the need to move up and sacrifice valuable assets to do so – more than they gave up for Darnold.

Carolina sent a sixth-round pick in this month’s draft and a second-rounder and fourth-rounder in next year’s to the Jets.

Now, they have a signal caller they view as an upgrade over Teddy Bridgewater if none of the top-five QBs fall to them at pick eight. And if Justin Fields or Mac Jones is there, they can still pounce.

For now, though, Darnold is the QB1. And he will be reunited with a familiar face in Carolina – Robby Anderson, who caught passes from him for two years with the Jets.

“I think me and Sam had very good chemistry,” Anderson said on “Good Morning Football.”

“I think that really stems from communication and just trust. I think if you look at the growth between me and Sam, you notice toward the back end of me being with the Jets, him throwing the ball up in double coverage and just throwing the ball up. That came with time and just trust in me making those plays and coming through for him in the clutch.”