4 Panthers players who could exceed expectations in 2022 training camp

Matt Corral – Carolina Panthers QB

With all the hype surrounding Baker Mayfield, how Matt Corral gets on in training camp has become almost a non-factor. The Carolina Panthers gave up their third-rounder next year to acquire the signal-caller at No. 94 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft, but another bold quarterback gamble means it’ll likely be a redshirt rookie campaign for the Ole Miss product unless injury strikes.

That is not a bad thing by any stretch. Corral was seen as a work in progress with the potential to become Carolina’s long-term starter providing there are additional refinements to his game, so Mayfield’s arrival takes the pressure off and can allow him to develop at his own pace.

Corral’s lightning-fast release and athleticism leave reasons to be encouraged. But there are some processing issues and coming to the NFL is a completely different ballgame, even though he played in the SEC.

The presence of Sam Darnold is an obvious complication. Something that could lead to Carolina taking three quarterbacks onto the roster when it’s all said and done.

However, if Corral performs better than anticipated – which is entirely possible – then the Panthers have a difficult decision to make. This could see them take a massive dead-cap figure on board by releasing Darnold, which would allow the rookie to assume primary backup duties behind Mayfield in 2022.