Projecting win totals for every potential Panthers starting QB in 2022

Jimmy Garoppolo

2021 Stats:

• 15 games
• 9-6 record
• 3,810 yards
• 20 touchdowns
• 12 interceptions
• 68.3% completion

Jimmy Garoppolo is an interesting case of missed potential and “what if” scenarios. Once the heir apparent to Tom Brady and now a player with one foot being pushed out the door by Trey Lance in after a series of disappointing seasons and some terrible luck with the injury bug.

While injuries cannot be fully placed on a player, availability is sometimes the best ability and it has become a bit of a track record for Garoppolo as well as a lack of ability to get the team over the hump once they make the playoffs.

Scheme Fit:

As far as scheme fit goes, Garoppolo is probably the worst option on this list as he is a gunslinger through and through and is most definitely comfortable in a pass-first attack. Something the Carolina Panthers are not.

Play Style:

After years of having quarterbacks who throw the ball away nearly as much as they complete touchdown passes, the last thing Carolina wants is someone who only has three seasons as a starter without double-digit interceptions. And those are only because the former second-round pick played less than seven games in those years.

Garoppolo is a a risk taker. Something that certain teams value and others shouldn’t. For all the good the Panthers have on their roster, they are not talented enough to make up for that many mistakes.

Clutch Factor:

Going 2-4 in close games is a stat no one wants to have tied to their quarterback, as we saw last season with Sam Darnold.

While the Green Bay Packers game was lost by the defense, Garoppolo was benched for Lance against the Seahawks and threw two interceptions against the Tennesee Titans which effectively sealed that game as well.

Not exactly the kind of thing you want to lean on in crunch time with how close a lot of games will be this coming season.

Projected Record: 4-13

There are just too many mistakes made by Garoppolo to project any higher than this and that is assuming the quarterback makes it the full season. Something he’s only done once as a starter.

This may seem harsh but it is realistic. Those mistakes will cost the Carolina Panthers games they should have won and the mismatch of philosophies will only shine the light brighter on what Garoppolo does poorly.