Writing officially on the wall for Carolina Panthers QB Sam Darnold

With trade rumors already surfacing regarding the Carolina Panthers and a new quarterback, the writing is officially on the wall for Sam Darnold.

Despite general manager Scott Fitterer declaring his confidence in Sam Darnold once the 2021 season came to a conclusion, the Carolina Panthers appear to have already begun searching for the quarterback’s replacement. Whether calling the Minnesota Vikings to inquire about the availability of Kirk Cousins will amount to anything is irrelevant – it indicates an aggressive search for a potential upgrade is well underway and plunges the former first-round pick’s future into serious doubt.

The Panthers took a big gamble by giving up three draft picks over a two-year period to acquire Darnold from the New York Jets. A promising start over the first three games left many wondering if the USC product could be the answer – but steep regression from then on saw the signal-caller fall into the bad habits that blighted his time at MetLife Stadium.

Darnold completed 59.9 percent of his passes for 2,527 yards, nine touchdowns, and 13 interceptions in 2021. He also gained five scores on the ground, secured a less than stellar 33.2 QBR, and a dismal 55.2 grade from Pro Football Focus.

Sam Darnold faces an uncertain future with the Carolina Panthers

Considering what’s at stake for head coach Matt Rhule in 2022, riding with Darnold once again could come with some severe consequences. The pressure is on to make substantial strides next time around and anything less than playoff football could see heads roll as a result.

Had Darnold done a little more, then we aren’t having this conversation. But that wasn’t the case and triggering the player’s fifth-year option before he’d participated in a single practice was an error of catastrophic proportions and leaves Carolina facing an $18.85 million bill whether he’s on the roster or not.

The chances of another team agreeing to include Darnold in any trade package is unlikely given his production. His situation is a microcosm of how the quarterback position has been evaluated since Rhule took charge, with the former Baylor man also getting the final say on all personnel decisions to pile even more pressure on his shoulders.

Minnesota didn’t appear willing to part ways with Cousins, who played at a relatively high-level last season and will count a whopping $45 million against the salary cap in 2022. This was probably Fitterer getting a lay of the land and there will be many more calls made in the coming weeks before a formal decision is made.

This does not bode well for Darnold, who might find it difficult getting another starting opportunity unless injury strikes somewhere. It would be a sad end for a player that came into the league with plenty of expectations as the No. 3 overall selection – but it was clear from pretty early on he was never going to meet them.

Acquiring Darnold was a mistake in hindsight.

Activating the fifth year of his deal was even worse.

However, that’s clearly not going to stop the Panthers from taking another big swing if they think it can help them make waves with Tom Brady and Sean Payton now gone from the NFC South.

The writing is on the wall for Darnold. Only time will tell as to what the future holds for one of the biggest draft busts in recent memory.