4 intriguing Panthers position battles to watch during 2022 offseason

Carolina Panthers QB1

This is the big one.

The battle that will decide the Carolina Panthers’ fate in 2022.

An offseason that started with ambitious trade attempts eventually concluded with the Panthers having Sam Darnold and rookie Matt Corral set to compete for the starting job under center. However, the chances of Carolina adding another veteran into the mix are high right now despite moving up to secure the Ole Miss product at No. 94 overall in the draft.

This is largely down to the Panthers having no more margin for error. Something that means Darnold cannot be relied upon after fluffing his lines in a big way following his high-profile trade from the New York Jets.

Whether Darnold can turn things around at this stage is doubtful. He might still be young in NFL terms, but this is his fifth season in the league and the same problems keep cropping up again and again.

As for Corral, he could be a productive starter over time. But asking him to immediately come in and save the Panthers is unfair and unlikely in equal measure.

Both players will get a fair shot. If the Panthers don’t like what they see, then expect general manager Scott Fitterer to act quickly for a better short-term solution to an ongoing complication.