Did Matt Rhule just bet his job on Panthers QB Sam Darnold?
By Dean Jones
What do the Carolina Panthers see in Sam Darnold?
While he might not have been their first choice after failed trade bids for Matthew Stafford and Deshaun Watson, the Carolina Panthers obviously like what they have in Sam Darnold. It’s easy to forget the player is still just 24-years-old with three seasons of starting experience under his belt. So the moment that the New York Jets made their intentions clear they were going to go with BYU’s Zach Wilson moving forward, another NFL team was always going to give him a second chance.
The toxic environment in New York and the inept head coaching of Adam Gase did Darnold absolutely no favors whatsoever. Carolina reaped the rewards of Robby Anderson freeing himself from the organization in 2020 and they are counting on their new quarterback to do the same with far superior weapons, an elite running back in Christian McCaffrey, and two progressive young coaches who are highly respected in head coach Matt Rhule and offensive coordinator Joe Brady.
Darnold has all the arm strength in the world and can make things happen on the move. His throwing range is eye-catching and providing the Panthers get better from a protection standpoint with their remaining draft picks, there will be no excuses for the player.
Everything is in place for Darnold to thrive in a different environment. Matt Rhule believes in him – something he never truly had with the Jets – and this can hopefully result in the former No. 3 overall selection propelling the Panthers to bigger and better things in 2021.