CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The New England Patriots have drafted eight quarterbacks since selecting Tom Brady in the sixth round in 2000. The Green Bay Packers have drafted five quarterbacks since making Aaron Rodgers a first-round pick in 2005.

The Carolina Panthers haven’t drafted any quarterbacks since selecting Cam Newton with the first pick in 2011.

It is time.

Newton, 27, is recovering from surgery to repair a partially torn rotator cuff, the second time since 2014 he has needed offseason repair. Backups Derek Anderson and Joe Webb are entering the final year of their contracts.

Anderson is 33 and Webb, 30, hasn’t thrown a pass in an NFL game since 2010 with Minnesota. Anderson is better than many backups, but he is nearing the end of his career and isn’t a long-term solution if Newton is sidelined for an extended time.

Webb is on the roster mainly because he can also play special teams and (in a crunch) wide receiver.

Carolina signed journeyman QB Garrett Gilbert after Newton’s surgery to have another arm for offseason workouts. But there is no evidence he could be a legitimate starter if something happens to Newton.

So with one of their eight picks in the April 27-29 draft, the Panthers should select a quarterback as a long-term -- and relatively inexpensive -- replacement if something happens to their star.

At worst, that player could be future trade bait, as the Patriots have done over the years.

New England traded Matt Cassel, a seventh-round pick in 2005, and veteran linebacker Mike Vrabel to Kansas City for a high second-round pick in February 2009.

This year teams are showing interest in Jimmy Garoppolo, a second-round pick in 2014.

The Panthers, according to the Times Free Press in Chattanooga, Tennessee, have held a workout for Tennessee quarterback Josh Dobbs, showing that the organization is at least considering a quarterback.

Dobbs (6-foot-3, 216) is considered one of the top 10 quarterbacks in the draft, likely to be selected between the fourth and sixth rounds.

He threw 27 touchdown passes and completed 63 percent of his passes for 2,946 yards this past season. He also rushed for 831 yards and 12 touchdowns.

He would be a dual-threat quarterback similar to Newton, although the Panthers are evolving their offense to depend less on the quarterback running.

Pittsburgh’s Nathan Peterman and California’s Davis Webb also could be among the mid- to late-round options in a solid year at the quarterback position.

It would be a reach to think the Panthers would use one of their four picks among the top 98 on a quarterback since they have more urgent needs at running back, tight end, safety, offensive tackle and defensive end.

But it seems reasonable for general manager Dave Gettleman to use one of his four other picks -- 115 (4th round), 152 (5th), 192 (6th) and 233 (7th) -- on a signal-caller.

The last time the Panthers drafted a quarterback other than Newton was 2010, when Jimmy Clausen was selected in the second round and Tony Pike in the sixth.

There are no guarantees the team will take one this year, and there’s no overwhelming evidence outside of New England and Green Bay that adding quarterbacks behind a star is the right formula.

NFC South rival and defending NFC champion Atlanta has selected only one quarterback -- Duke’s Sean Renfree in 2013 -- since taking Matt Ryan in the first round in 2008.

New Orleans has drafted only two quarterbacks since acquiring Drew Brees in 2006.

But Carolina has drafted none since taking Newton.

So it is time.