Grading Panthers position groups on offense after the 2021 draft

Carolina Panthers QBs

Quarterback is a position the Carolina Panthers have shown no lack of aggression in trying to improve over the last few years and the team – as well as the fanbase – hopes they have finally gotten it right in 2021.

After what became an incredibly disappointing season from a production standpoint under center in 2020, the Panthers began looking for another option at signal-caller. Following the failed trade for Matthew Stafford early on in the offseason, there were many rumors and projections of just which direction the front office might go in.

Through it, one name was always on the outskirts of the discussion, Sam Darnold.

While Darnold’s early career has not exactly gone to plan, one needs to consider he was playing for the only team that could give the Cleveland Browns a run for the title of worst run organization in the NFL over that span. The New York Jets never really committed to the former No. 3 overall selection, trading away star players left and right and living in a limbo of trying to decide whether to compete or rebuild.

Another thing to consider is the fact that Darnold is only a year older than Justin Fields and is actually younger than last year’s No. 1 pick Joe Burrow. All of that with multiple years of experience in the NFL.

Much has been said about Darnold’s rankings in different statistics over his career and while they are pretty bad when looked at in a vacuum, all of the physical traits you want in a starting quarterback are there.

His cannon of an arm and willingness to throw the deep ball being the biggest things for a Panthers team that suffered through check-down central last season.

Even if he sometimes makes an errant throw, at least Darnold is attempting to take risks now and then. With more playmakers than he’s ever had at the NFL level, there should be no more excuses for the new No.1 in Carolina.

While Fields may end up being a star in this league, and the Panthers had every opportunity to pick him in the first round, Darnold is more of a known commodity and still young enough to develop into something greater if given the support, open targets, and protection that a young quarterback needs.

With P.J. Walker and Will Grier backing Darnold up, should the new acquisition struggle there is a relatively good room behind him.

Grade B+

The Panthers may not have gotten a superstar or young rookie with sky-high potential. But what they did acquire is a guy who has a gigantic chip on his shoulder after being blamed for all that went wrong around him in New York.

Darnold may not be the next incarnation of Tom Brady, but that’s not what the team needs. All that the former first-rounder needs to do is take the necessary risks to win when the game is on the line.