5 emergency options if the Panthers lose Sam Darnold to injury in 2021
By Dean Jones
Robert Griffin III – Potential Sam Darnold replacement
Another option available to the Carolina Panthers if they lost Sam Darnold to a long-term injury is exploring the free-agent market for a veteran that could step in at a moment’s notice.
The options available are pretty scarce at the present time. So this would be a damning indictment on the prospects of Will Grier and P.J. Walker moving forward.
One of the more intriguing names remaining on the market is Robert Griffin III. The former first-round pick looked destined for greatness after an outstanding rookie campaign. Things have not gone according to plan since for the former Baylor star.
Griffin suffered a serious knee injury with the Washington Football Team that took away some of the explosiveness he relied so heavily upon making plays out of the pocket. He’s spent the last three seasons backing up Lamar Jackson with the Baltimore Ravens, who decided not to bring him back this offseason.
This would be the last resort for the Panthers, who’d probably give someone on the roster a shot first before contemplating this sort of move. Griffin’s career will always be tinged with a hint of what might have been and the fact he threw two interceptions from just 14 attempts last season is further proof his best days are well behind him.