5 big gambles that backfired on the Carolina Panthers in 2021
By Dean Jones
Carolina Panthers extended Sam Darnold
Trading for Sam Darnold was a risk in itself. The quarterback was considered a product of his environment on the New York Jets under Adam Gase and perhaps a move to the Carolina Panthers with better weapons would finally see the No. 3 overall selection in 2018 start fulfilling the potential he had coming out of USC.
Darnold started well enough in the face of inferior opposition. But as soon as Christian McCaffrey went missing from the lineup, the glaring flaws that blighted his time at MetLife Stadium came to the fore once again.
The signal-caller was erratic, couldn’t process information quickly enough, and footwork remains a real problem despite quarterbacks coach Sean Ryan spending a significant amount of time during the preparation period trying to eradicate this from Darnold’s game.
Things didn’t get much better down the stretch, leaving the Panthers back to square one in pursuit of finding a franchise player at the position.
Picking up Darnold’s fifth-year option without getting to see him in the flesh was inexcusable. And it only complicates matters for the organization this offseason.
It’s hard to envisage another team taking on Darnold with $18.85 million guaranteed to the player. Money that could definitely be spent elsewhere where the Panthers are concerned.