4 Carolina Panthers players set for a big leap forward in 2021
By Dean Jones
Sam Darnold – Carolina Panthers QB
Despite there being so much talent on both sides of the ball, how the Carolina Panthers fare in 2021 will ultimately come down to how Sam Darnold performs under center. The quarterback gets another chance to prove he is a starting-caliber player at this position following his trade from the New York Jets and considering the wealth of options around him in the passing game, it would be a body blow for his career if he was to fail in a different environment.
Darnold gets the benefit of the doubt for his production in New York, which was down in no small part to the inept head coaching of Adam Gase and a supporting cast that wasn’t exactly stacked with Pro Bowl talent. However, that is not the case in Carolina and it won’t take long for the team’s fanbase to get restless if things don’t begin in the right manner.
The Panthers bet big on Darnold, giving up three draft selections and also passing on the chance to select former Ohio State signal-caller Justin Fields at No. 8 overall. This also seems like the perfect landing spot for him under two young coaches in Matt Rhule and Joe Brady who’ll put him in the right position to succeed.
Carolina’s offensive line also needs to hold up their end of the bargain. They are expecting an onslaught in front of a quarterback who struggled to make the right decisions at MetLife Stadium when under pressure over the last three years, so giving Darnold time to go through his progressions will be key.
If they can do this, there will be open looks everywhere in the passing game for Darnold to take advantage of.