It’s been a while since I released any content regarding Carolina’s beloved NFL franchise, partially because the offseason hasn’t involved any blockbuster deals. The front office has worked tirelessly to tighten up the offensive line and some key additions were made on the defensive side of the ball *cough* Haason Reddick *cough* but no headline talent was relocating to Charlotte.
On Monday, that all changed. The franchise agreed to terms with the New York Jets to acquire Sam Darnold in exchange for only three-draft picks. Of those draft slots, only one comes in the first two rounds. In my eyes, this trade was an absolute steal.
Some are skeptical of Darnold’s capabilities and in all fairness, I can see why. The former No. 3 pick struggled with injuries during his three-year stint with the Jets and was never able to fully tap into his potential. His win percentage was a mere 34.2%, he struggled to take care of the ball and his passing yards per game ranks 35th in the league over the span of his career, thus far. Not great as a starter in the 32-team league.
Those statistics are lackluster when searching for a franchise quarterback, and I will be the first to admit that. The box score doesn’t have the ability to showcase talent though. Take a look at his rookie highlight tape and tell me that this kid doesn’t have a tremendous amount of potential.
Sam Darnold’s FULL Rookie Highlights in 2018!
I rest my case. The door is wide open for Darnold as he walks away from the dumpster fire in New York and I want to explain why his future could have a completely new look.
For starters, the Jets’ front office has never been able to build a team around the quarterback, at least during my lifetime. I’ve watched Geno Smith, Mark Sanchez, Josh McCown and a rapidly declining Brett Farve suit up in that atrocious green, all of which never had the talent, or pocket protection, to achieve success.
In his first three seasons, Darnold was sacked 30+ times each year and in 2019, the Jets allowed the second most pressures in the league. Forcing a quarterback out of the pocket to throw on the run doesn’t help to win football games, especially when the receiving corps is best suited for deep routes down the field.
Likewise, Robby Anderson, who was likely the most talented receiver on the team, is now in Carolina. The two already have a chemistry which begs the question, “Could Darnlod be on the cusp of a breakthrough?” In addition to Anderson, the Panthers roster includes a young D.J. Moore and will return superstar running-back, Christian McCaffrey, to take some pressure off of the passing game.
As mentioned earlier, the franchise has been working to beef up the offensive line, which will hopefully give Darnold more time in the pocket and thus, decrease the number of errant throws. Either way, the talent pool in Charlotte is superior to what the young QB was handed in New York, leading me to believe that his ceiling will be much higher in this new environment.
Aside from the players that will take the field at Bank of America Stadium this upcoming season, Carolina has also seen a drastic change in coaching over the past couple of years. For the sake of this argument, I want to focus mainly on the offensive coordinator, Joe Brady.
Those that follow college football knew his name well before he stepped onto the set of the National Football League, almost entirely due to his dominance at LSU where he worked with Joe Burrow. Before LSU, Burrow struggled to beat out Dwayne Haskins for a starting job at Ohio State and in a matter of months, under the guidance of Brady, Burrow became a collegiate sensation.
After working with Brady for only a couple of years, Burrow plowed his way to a National Championship win and was awarded with the Heisman Trophy for his unforgettable campaign. He shattered nearly every single-season record in NCAA history for a Division-I quarterback.
Now, if we shift our attention to Darnold, we find that he is actually younger than Joe Burrow and consequently, may still be able to develop and sharpen some skills in the same way. Especially with Brady on the coaching staff. It’s a long shot and I don’t want to compare the two, but no lottery pick is going down without a fight.
Do I think that Darnold is going to become a superstar in Carolina and lead us to the promised land of a Super Bowl this upcoming year? Absolutely not. No 23-year-old quarterback can drag a team to the playoffs single handedly, much less a 5-win team. Hell, I don’t even know if he’ll hold the starting job all year.
What do I know? Well, for one, I’m sure that Darnold is a step up from Teddy because it really can’t get much worse. I know that the potential for the future of this organization with him on the roster is a lot more promising. And if the Darnold trade ends up not working out, we gambled away a few draft picks. So what?
At the end of the day, the Panthers are making strides to become a winning team and regardless of how this deal pans out, that’s a silver lining. For now, we wait. And as I wait, I will enjoy the lyrical masterpiece below. Go ahead and listen, you won’t regret it, I promise.
Stanley out.
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