4 best and worst-case scenarios for Panthers QB Sam Darnold in 2022
By Dean Jones
What are the best and worst-case scenarios for Carolina Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold with so much uncertainty surrounding his future in 2022?
No sooner had the 2021 season come to a conclusion, the Carolina Panthers began an obvious search for a potential upgrade on Sam Darnold. The former first-round pick didn’t make the most out of a huge opportunity in a different environment following his trade from the New York Jets, which cost the organization three draft selections and $18.85 million fully guaranteed after the team inexplicably picked up his fifth-year option.
Darnold started well before tailing off significantly. Perhaps the security blanket of Christian McCaffrey provided a false sense of what the signal-caller could achieve, but his prospects appear bleak right now and that is unlikely to change anytime soon.
Carolina went after Deshaun Watson and has attended multiple pro days this week as speculation mounts regarding taking a quarterback prospect at No. 6 overall. However, very few players in this class will be ready to start in Week 1, so Darnold could get one last opportunity to salvage his career if the team doesn’t bring back Cam Newton.
The stakes are high for the Panthers in 2022. Whether Matt Rhule feels comfortable going into the season with Darnold as the starter even if they do draft a quarterback will likely determine the head coach’s fate moving forward.
Without further ado, here are four best and worst-case scenarios Darnold could face this offseason and when the 2022 season gets underway.