Carolina Panthers must find another QB1
If Matt Corral takes time to develop, then the Carolina Panthers are currently facing the prospect of moving forward with Sam Darnold as their starter once again. To say this would be a risk for Matt Rhule in a crucial third season for the head coach would be majorly understating things.
Darnold did almost nothing to install confidence in his abilities following a high-profile trade from the New York Jets. His decision-making was suspect at best, there were flaws in his footwork, and the efficiency to process information pre-snap and in the pocket left a lot to be desired.
The problem Carolina has is that Darnold is under contract with a whopping $18.85 million attached in 2022. But considering what’s at stake next season, making another bold veteran trade is something to strongly consider.
Baker Mayfield and Jimmy Garoppolo remain the most likely names to come on board. Both represent a huge upgrade on Darnold, but there appear to be some financial complications and no consensus opinion within the organization about what is the best thing to do.
Mayfield and Garoppolo are also in the final year of their deals. It might be a band-aid fix to a long-term problem, but it provides the Panthers with a better chance to win right now and allows Corral to develop at his own pace.