Sam Darnold has been traded to the Carolina Panthers for multiple draft picks, and the quarterback can be a big success in 2021 and beyond.
The Carolina Panthers finally made a move at quarterback in pursuit of finding better production than Teddy Bridgewater gave them in 2020. The team confirmed that Sam Darnold was acquired from the New York Jets for three draft picks this year and next, meaning the organization can now move forward with another former first-round pick in the hope of mounting a postseason push.
This is something that has reportedly been in the pipeline for weeks. The Jets have made no secret about their desire to take a quarterback at No. 2, which is now almost guaranteed to be Zach Wilson out of BYU. Keeping Darnold around was simply not an option for them and getting a sixth-rounder this year, together with second and fourth-round selections in 2022 seems like a good deal for them to make.
As for the Panthers, they now have a low-risk, high-reward player that could be their long-term option if he picks things up quickly and shows improvement in 2021. Whether he can do this or not remains to be seen, but Carlina has bet big he can finally reach his potential.
Without further ado, here are some reasons why Darnold will shine for the Panthers in 2021.
Reason No. 1
Sam Darnold has an elite RB alongside him
One thing Sam Darnold has never had during his time with the Jets is an elite running back alongside him in the backfield. The signing of Le’Veon Bell promised to be just that before the player’s regression was evident from the outset, so having the benefit of Christian McCaffrey taking up most of the attention is going to help the signal-caller enormously.
McCaffrey appeared in just three games last season due to various injury problems. But judging by his workout videos on social media of late, the former Stanford product should fit and raring to go next time around.
That is good news for the Panthers and Darnold, who gets arguably the best dual-threat back in the NFL to lean on. It’s the ideal situation for the quarterback as he looks to make the most out of a fresh start.
Sam Darnold now has a dynamic play-caller
One thing that clearly hampered Sam Darnold on the New York Jets was the play-calling of head coach Adam Gase. This is something he relinquished during the 2020 season – which contributed to their improvement down the stretch – but the damage had already been done where the former USC standout was concerned.
Darnold looked like a lost sheep at times and was clearly lacking in confidence. A fresh start was the best possible solution for all parties and the signal-caller will now begin working with one of the brightest young offensive minds in the game with Joe Brady as his offensive coordinator.
Brady gained a ton of head coaching interviews despite just one season falling plays at the next level. Although these didn’t come with a concrete offer from anybody, it’s clear a top job isn’t too far away for a coach who is highly regarded in league circles.
Whether that comes in 2022 or not, Brady will give Darnold the best chance to succeed with his aggressive play-calling that was hampered somewhat by Teddy Bridgewater’s clear reluctance to push the ball downfield.
What comes next will be ultimately down to the player. But if he was looking for the perfect landing spot to reignite his career, he might just have found it.
Sam Darnold has elite weapons at his disposal
Something else that should ensure Sam Darnold gets every chance of success with the Carolina Panthers is some elite passing weapons at his disposal. Despite losing Curtis Samuel to the Washington Football Team, the roster is still littered with playmakers that can make a real difference in the passing game and to such a degree that the quarterback never had on the Jets.
D.J. Moore is one of the NFL’s most underrated receivers and he put up career numbers in yardage last season despite some chemistry issues with Teddy Bridgewater. The sky is the limit for the former Maryland prospect moving forward and if he can hit the ground running with Darnold, it should stand the Panthers in enormously good stead.
Couple this with some familiarity with Robby Anderson, with the pair working together during their time with the Jets. Last year’s free-agent signing proved to be a shrewd bit of business by Carolina and it was evident early on that he was utilized in the wrong way at MetLife Stadium, so if Darnold can have similar success it will be worth its weight in gold.
Christian McCaffrey is adept at making a difference in the passing game, with Dan Arnold representing another viable option from the tight end position with the promise of more on the way via the 2021 NFL Draft.
This is Darnold’s big chance to prove people wrote him off too soon. And everything is in place for him to make a real go of things in Carolina.