4 potential trade destinations for Sam Darnold in 2022
By Dean Jones
Los Angeles Chargers
A California homecoming for Sam Darnold would probably be a dream come true. The quarterback hails from Capistrano Beach, attended San Clemente High School, and stayed in the area in college at USC en route to becoming the No. 3 overall selection.
The bright lights of New York were too big for Darnold. And his time with the Carolina Panthers was bad enough that it forced the organization to re-sign Cam Newton in a bombshell move.
The Los Angeles Chargers have an elite signal-caller in Justin Herbert that looks to be the real deal. But providing the price is right then adding Darnold to a quarterback room that needs a better backup than Chase Daniel is a viable possibility.
Herbert would be under any threat from Darnold’s presence. Their careers seem to be on a completely different trajectory at the moment and although holding a clipboard all season isn’t ideal, the signal-caller might not have any other choice.
This has worked well for players in the past. Jameis Winston’s year on the bench for the New Orleans Saints resulted in a starting gig the year after, although his production far exceeded anything Darnold’s accomplished to date.
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Being back in a warmer climate and familiar surroundings is something Darnold would welcome. Whether it’s a realistic possibility is another matter entirely.