How much time can the Carolina Panthers afford to give quarterback Matt Corral regarding his development into a potential starter?
Time is a luxury afforded to very few in the NFL.
It’s also something the Carolina Panthers don’t have much of when it comes to building a roster capable of competing.
After two years of abject failure under head coach Matt Rhule so far, team owner David Tepper is still awaiting his first winning campaign since purchasing the franchise for $2.27 billion from Jerry Richardson. He is reportedly still confident in his coach’s abilities – giving him a public vote of confidence prior to the draft – but just how much patience will remain if the Panthers go through more mediocrity in 2022 remains to be seen.
Everything seems to be in place after a solid period of recruitment throughout the offseason. However, there remains one significant cloud hanging over Carolina at the quarterback position.
Sam Darnold is still around as expected after nobody showed interest in trading for the signal-caller, who bombed out once again last season and how has a fully guaranteed $18.85 million coming his way on the final year of his rookie deal.
There was a sense within some that the Panthers settled on Matt Corral, who fell way down the pecking order for Carolina to trade up and select the prospect at No. 94 overall.
One could make a strong case that the Ole Miss product was the strongest quarterback in this year’s class. But there is some refinement needed before he can be installed as the team’s new starting option with great confidence.
Corral was selected on the recommendation of Ben McAdoo, who has a strong reputation for assessing college talent and how they can translate their skills to the NFL. Excitement is high within large sections of the team’s fanbase and it won’t take long for the calls to begin if Darnold fluffs his lines early on.
It will take time, obviously.
But just how much can the Panthers afford to give Corral?
Matt Corral deserves more time than the Carolina Panthers will give him
The Panthers didn’t part ways with much capital to land Corral. And from a financial standpoint, a third-round contract is not exactly going to break the bank.
However, it would be wise for those in power to see exactly what they have in the player over a prolonged period of time, which might make all the difference if Carolina explores the possibility of going down the quarterback route once again in 2023 from a much stronger class.
With that being said, throwing Corral in when he isn’t ready is only going to complicate matters. Carolina must be fair to the player despite their urgent need to improve, which is why trading for another veteran such as Jimmy Garoppolo hasn’t been completely dismissed.
There is an instant craving to see rookie quarterbacks start immediately. But it’s worth remembering that this is a relatively new trend in league circles and sitting for almost an entire season didn’t hurt the likes of Josh Allen, Aaron Rodgers, or Patrick Mahomes to name a few.
Granted, their situations were much better.
Even if the premise remains the same.
It would be nice if the Panthers could go down this avenue with Corral. But there is simply too much at stake for the organization in 2022 to even contemplate it and especially if Darnold cannot salvage what’s becoming complete career wreckage.
This will all come down to how much Corral imposes himself, adjusts to a pro scheme, integrates within the locker room, and shows out on the field. Providing he ticks all the boxes either immediately or over time, there is a good chance he sees the field at some stage.
Whether Corral can instantly turn around their fortunes is the bigger question. One that could come with franchise-altering ramifications.