6 realistic starting QB options for the Carolina Panthers in 2022
By Nick Halden
Sam Darnold – Carolina Panthers QB
Sam Darnold isn’t a starting quarterback in this league. He has made his money and will continue to make a large salary from the Carolina Panthers next season after they picked up his fifth-year option soon after the player was traded from the New York Jets.
Darnold has a future as a backup, but his time as a starter seems over.
His ability to read the field is problematic and turnovers always seem to come at the worst times. Darnold is a quarterback with talent who simply will be an overpaid backup next season.
However, the team might be stuck with him considering it would be extremely difficult to find a trade partner.
If Carolina chooses to wait a year to take a shot at drafting a quarterback, there might be a better – and cheaper – option than Darnold. Although it appears as if Matt Rhule is intent on giving him another shot in 2022 unless the Panthers go after a big fish via the trade market.
This is something that will undoubtedly be explored if team owner David Tepper has his way. But one has to wonder just which big-name quarterback would consider joining the Panthers in their current state.
Perhaps going with Darnold and waiting until the 2023 NFL Draft is the smart way to go. Something the Panthers should have done a lot sooner, in all honesty.