5 Panthers players who’ll benefit from a normal offseason
By Dean Jones
Sam Darnold – Carolina Panthers QB
Perhaps nobody is going to benefit more from a structured offseason than Sam Darnold. The quarterback was acquired by the Carolina Panthers from the New York Jets, giving him one more chance to prove he can be a productive NFL starter.
It hasn’t been the easiest start to life in the NFL for Darnold, who didn’t have any quality on offense to utilize and also had Adam Gase as his head coach – a man that was clearly out of his depth.
There will be absolutely no excuses in Carolina.
The Panthers are loaded in the passing game despite losing Curtis Samuel to the Washington Football Team. Providing the offensive line holds out, Darnold has to thrive in different surroundings.
Having some time on the field during the preseason is going to aid Darnold, to put it mildly. Just how many reps he’ll get is up for debate, but any chemistry he can build before taking the field in Week 1 against his former team is going to help.
The stakes are incredibly high not only for Darnold but also for those in the front office that decided to bring him on board and send Teddy Bridgewater to the Denver Broncos for a sixth-round pick.