4 options if the Panthers move on from Teddy Bridgewater in 2022
By Dean Jones
Sam Darnold – New York Jets
The likelihood of Sam Darnold still being on the New York Jets next season does appear to be slim. They are the red-hot favorites to secure the No. 1 overall pick that would undoubtedly come with Clemson sensation Trevor Lawrence, providing the franchise-altering prospect declares for the 2021 NFL Draft.
If Lawrence drops a bombshell and stays with the Tigers for his senior year, the Jets would probably go with Ohio State standout Justin Fields. So either way, Darnold doesn’t appear to have any sort of future at MetLife Stadium – which might be the best thing for his career in the long run.
Darnold would be an intriguing option on the trade market. And the Carolina Panthers were recently named by ESPN’s senior writer Jeremy Fowler as a team to watch in a possible move for the former No. 3 overall selection out of USC.
This would be a jaw-dropping move and one that would be a damning indictment of just what the coaching staff thinks of Teddy Bridgewater’s first year under center. It does appear unlikely given the pressing needs elsewhere, but making a move for Darnold – wherever he is playing – becomes more realistic in 2022 if things are not progressing as expected.