Carolina Panthers made rash moves at the QB spot
Matt Rhule began his stint with the Carolina Panthers declaring how excited he was to work with Cam Newton. What transpired after was nothing like the stability many anticipated.
A plethora of rash moves at the quarterback position has been the catalyst behind some major underachievement from the Panthers since Rhule took charge. Teddy Bridgewater was signed in free agency on a three-year, $63 million deal, which saw Newton released at a time when there were few starting opportunities left for the former NFL MVP.
Bridgewater was solid but failed to come through in the clutch. This left Carolina exploring other options and finally settled on acquiring Sam Darnold from the New York Jets for three draft selections over a two-year period.
This did not go according to plan. Darnold demonstrated the same erratic production we saw at MetLife Stadium and his fifth-year option with a fully guaranteed $18.85 million has complicated the team’s thought process this offseason.
P.J. Walker hasn’t proven to be anything more than a backup and the Panthers even brought Newton back for another go-around. The Auburn product galvanized the organization for a brief moment, but it was clear he wasn’t going to get the same leeway from Rhule that Darnold enjoyed.
Drafting Matt Corral at No. 94 overall gives the Panthers a potential long-term option. But if Rhule moves forward with Darnold as their starter in 2022, it could be another long, arduous campaign.