Evaluating How Sam Darnold Fits With The Carolina Panthers
The quarterback carousel continued during the 2021 NFL offseason after the Carolina Panthers traded for former USC QB Sam Darnold on Monday.
In exchange for Darnold, the New York Jets received a late 2021 sixth-rounder and a second and fourth-rounder in 2022.
Now the 23-year-old gets a new home with a good foundation to try to resurrect his young career.
So how does Darnold fit in with the Panthers? Let's dive in.
When you look at Carolina's roster, there's a familiar name that Darnold had great chemistry with during his time with the Jets.
That being wide receiver Robby Anderson.
In Anderson's two seasons with Darnold, the wide receiver totaled 102 catches for 1,531 yards and 11 TD's in 30 games played. Recapturing that chemistry with Anderson should be one of the easier parts of Darnold's transition into new surroundings.
"I think that really stems from communication and just trust," Anderson said on NFL Network about his connection with Darnold following the trade news.
"I think if you look at the growth between me and Sam, you notice toward the back end of me being with the Jets, him throwing the ball up in double coverage and he just trusted me to make those plays."
The 4th-year QB will play with the best set of pass-catchers of his career in Charlotte. Alongside Anderson, D.J. Moore and running back Christian McCaffrey offer Darnold playmakers in the open field who can make the signal-caller's life easier.
The California native will also get the chance to play for a young, up and coming head coach in Matt Rhule. This will be Rhule's second year with Carolina, and now he'll have the chance to mold his offense around the strengths of Darnold.
The Panthers ran a heavy amount of short and intermediate passing plays last season with Teddy Bridgewater under center. With the addition of the former No. 3 overall pick, Rhule will be able to open up the playbook a bit more once Darnold settles into his offense.
Nonetheless, Darnold seems to be a good fit for a rebuilding team in the NFC South. Carolina has a lot of good pieces on the offensive side of the ball, and if Darnold can improve and fully buy into what Rhule is selling, the offense can be scary for opposing teams.
And if the team can improve defensively, the Panthers can quickly become a playoff contender in the near future.
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