What were some critical observations from Carolina Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold’s performances during the 2021 season?
Acquiring Sam Darnold from the New York Jets was a major gamble by the Carolina Panthers. The move was set to finally unleash the quarterback’s potential after a torrid three years at MetLife Stadium, but what transpired was far from what anyone associated with the organization had in mind.
Darnold’s issues didn’t disappear and there are now far more questions than answers about not only his future in Carolina but his overall career prospects in the NFL. The Panthers stated that the signal-caller would be coming back in 2022, even if his status as the team’s starter is far from guaranteed at this juncture.
This has the potential to set the Panthers back for a considerable period of time. Matt Rhule’s confidence and constant coddling of Darnold might also be his undoing when it’s all said and done.
Without further ado, here are five critical observations from Darnold’s performances during the 2021 season.
Critical Observation No. 1
Sam Darnold could not build on a good start
Things looked pretty promising for Sam Darnold right out of the gate. A strong training camp and three outstanding wins to begin the campaign left many believing this change in environment could finally propel the quarterback’s game to even greater heights.
However, things came apart quite quickly thereafter.
Darnold reverted to type as a season went on. Turnovers were plentiful and confidence waned both within the player, across the Panthers, and from analysts who were forced to go back on their increased optimism in a hurry.
This was a fantastic platform from which to build for Darnold. Simply put, he wasn’t up to the task.
Sam Darnold was not the same without Christian McCaffrey
Having the league’s best security blanket was an exceptional thing for Sam Darnold to lean on during his first few games with the Carolina Panthers. The team’s star running back Christian McCaffrey was back fit and firing on all cylinders after turning out just three times in 2020, which was expected to be a major boost for the quarterback and the organization overall.
Again, the start was promising. McCaffrey looked like his old self both on running downs and helping Darnold move the chains in the passing game.
But another injury in Week 3 at the Houston Texans brought this momentum to an abrupt halt.
And Darnold was never the same after that.
Not having McCaffrey in the backfield meant more was required of Darnold. This is where mistakes began to happen and although the offensive line didn’t exactly help matters, the remainder of the campaign was full of missed opportunities and errors that ended up costing Carolina in a big way.
Even when McCaffrey came back briefly, Darnold didn’t benefit. Unless the former first-round pick and the Panthers can come up with a solution regarding how to function better when the All-Pro misses time, they won’t get very far next time around.
Sam Darnold’s processing remains an issue
One of the biggest problems Sam Darnold has faced even from his time at USC was the ability to process things quickly on the field. Going through reads efficiently and making the correct decisions from a distribution point of view are the hallmarks of any successful signal-caller at the next level – something the No. 3 overall selection in 2018 has found extremely difficult in college or the pros.
Again, there was hope that quarterbacks coach Sean Ryan could eradicate this from Darnold’s game. The respected figure worked wonders with the likes of Deshaun Watson and Matthew Stafford in recent years, but it was clear from early on this was not going to be as easy with his new project.
The Carolina Panthers did not prioritize their protection this offseason and it came back to haunt them. Opposing defenses know exactly what happens to Darnold when he gets flustered, which sadly came to fruition on countless occasions before and after a stint on the reserve/injured list.
Whether there is going to be any dramatic turnaround in this critical area of quarterback play during the offseason is highly unlikely. Ryan can work on the technical aspects with Darnold, but the mental element is down to the player.
He is no longer a rookie. Darnold is a four-year veteran now, so he might be past the point of no return.
Sam Darnold’s footwork is a major flaw
Sam Darnold made no secret of his desire to improve on footwork in the pocket during the offseason. The signs were encouraging in training camp, although limited action in the preseason meant there was no way to tell just how much progress had taken place before competitive action began.
As it turned out, maneuvering quickly with minimal fuss remains a problem for Darnold. He was able to scramble for some nice gains and five rushing touchdowns during the season, but evading pressure behind a porous offensive line was a constant thorn in the team’s side.
Granted, not many quarterbacks would be successful in front of such torrid protection. And if this was Darnold’s first time showing shoddy footwork, he might have gotten a pass of sorts.
But much like his inability to process to a level normally associated with an NFL starting signal-caller, this has been a consistent factor behind his failings in the pros.
Sean Ryan has his work cut out this offseason based on what we’ve seen so far. The Carolina Panthers were banking on the player making the right adjustments in a smooth fashion to propel this organization back into postseason contention, but the simple fact of the matter is he might not be capable of even the little things.
And that is a major flaw.
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.