5 critical observations from Sam Darnold’s 2021 season

Carolina Panthers made a mistake with Sam Darnold’s 5th-year option

Trading for Sam Darnold was all well and good. But to pick up his fifth-year option before he’d taken one snap under center for the Carolina Panthers was strange at the time and even more so now.

Matt Rhule and Scott Fitterer tried to explain their reasoning behind triggering a fully guaranteed $18.85 million for Darnold in 2022. Although it’s not considered anything like top-end quarterback money, there is a high chance the signal-caller could be the league’s most expensive backup next season if Carolina makes another move at the position.

Whether that’s in free agency or via the trade market is unclear. The Panthers also have the option of taking a potential franchise quarterback at No. 6 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft.

It appears highly unlikely that another team would take on Darnold’s contract unless Carolina eats up a large chunk of his salary in a similar fashion to when Teddy Bridgewater was traded to the Denver Broncos one day before the 2021 draft. So those in power might decide to give him a final chance behind a much-improved offensive line thanks to serious investment.

Picking up the fifth-year option was a mistake. And in all honesty, the trade to secure Darnold’s services is another decision the Panthers would like to have back.

This is a sorry state of affairs for all involved. A situation that the Panthers could have avoided and unless Darnold takes a dramatic step in the right direction, it will go down as one of the worst trades in franchise history without question.