Could the Carolina Panthers become surprise playoff contenders in 2021?

The Carolina Panthers trading for Sam Darnold has heightened expectations for a team who was expected to come in at the bottom of their division next season. 

When the Carolina Panthers traded for former New York Jets quarterback Sam Darnold they did two very important things. First, it potentially made them watchable. And secondly, they accelerated their rebuild providing the signal-caller hits the ground running in a different environment.

Still, it is important to check expectations for a team coming off of a 5-11 season. Darnold is going to have a huge impact if a fresh set of ideas and a change of scenery proves to be the making of him. But heaping playoff expectations on the player while learning a new offense on a rebuilding team is unrealistic.

This team is still two years away from returning to contention at best they are an eight or nine-win organization in what could shake out to be a very tough NFC South division once again.

The Panthers will still be faced with the prospect of taking on Tom Brady, Matt Ryan, and a Sean Payton-led New Orleans Saints offense. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the heavy favorites heading into the season and assuming their legendary quarterback doesn’t drop off of the infamous cliff, they are a playoff lock in 2021 after keeping almost all of their Super Bowl-winning roster together.

Carolina Panthers face a tough schedule in 2021.

Playing those teams six combined times isn’t going to be easy for an underwhelming Panthers’ roster. However, Darnold adds more firepower and could make them three games better than they were in 2020 – providing he can come through in clutch situations better than Teddy Bridgewater.

Not only are Carolina’s division opponents rough, but they will also be facing the New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins, and a surprisingly tough Washington Football Team in 2021.

This is a team that is going to play up to their competition every week. They are undermanned but well-coached and well prepared.

If the Darnold trade works out, it takes Carolina from the bottom ten in the league back to respectability.

Playoff expectations need to be forgotten, at least for now.

However, the Panthers are a team on the rise who have found their head coach in Matt Rhule and hope to have their franchise quarterback in Darnold.

We have seen veteran quarterbacks take at least a year to pop in a new offensive scheme.  Patience is going to be key as Darnold adjusts to playing in a new offense, one not relying on him to be superman and it is also worth remembering the former USC star is still just 23 years old.

Don’t get it mixed up, this offseason was a win for the Panthers.

Something is wasn’t before they traded for Darnold, which could not be called a win-now move and more about making this team a national story instead of local interest. As a byproduct of the trade, Carolina will be a contender sooner than they would with Bridgewater at the helm.

Carolina may not be a playoff team in 2021. However, they will be fun to watch and remind fans they are heading in the right direction.