5 most disappointing trades in Carolina Panthers history
By Dean Jones
Sam Darnold – Carolina Panthers QB
The Carolina Panthers were clearly ready to move on from Teddy Bridgewater after just one season. His inconsistent production and failure to win games in clutch moments proved to be his undoing and with a rich group of quarterbacks coming out of the college ranks, this was an opportunity for the organization to find their long-term answer at the position.
Or so we thought.
Instead, the Panthers opted to strike a deal with the New York Jets for Sam Darnold. Three draft picks over two years was the price and although they managed to recoup two of them, the trade has been nothing short of a disaster.
Darnold hit the ground running over the first three games. But once Christian McCaffrey came out of the lineup through injury, the former No. 3 overall selection reverted to type.
Considering how much the Panthers have struggled this season, they’ll be giving up a top-37 selection for Darnold in 2022 if things don’t improve. Something that makes this trade even worse.
Not only this, but Carolina also activated Darnold’s fifth-year option before playing a snap, passing on the likes of Justin Fields and Mac Jones who were available at the time. This restricts what the Panthers can do at the position this offseason and is a microcosm of how things have gone for the new regime at the most important position on the field.