Jets trade Sam Darnold to Panthers for multiple draft picks
The Carolina Panthers might have found their franchise quarterback with Sam Darnold
It felt as if the writing was on the wall for Sam Darnold when the team announced they would hire head coach Robert Saleh. On Monday, his reign ended in the Big Apple.
The New York Jets have traded the fourth year quarterback to the Carolina Panthers for a 2021 sixth-round pick and 2022 second and fourth-round selections. Darnold ends his time with the Jets posting a 13-25 record since being selected with the No. 3 pick in 2018.
Filed to ESPN: Jets trading QB Sam Darnold to the Carolina Panthers for a 2021 sixth-round pick and second- and fourth-round picks in 2022, per sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 5, 2021
Darnold never found his footing with Gang Green. The teams struggle to produce wins, what is confidence never developed under head coach Adam Gase. Ultimately, it led to an easy decision for Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas to move off of the 23-year-old before the start of the 2021 season.
For his career, Darnold has thrown for 8,097 and 45 touchdowns against 39 interceptions.
Are the Panthers out of the quarterback race?
It’s no secret that the Panthers have been looking at quarterbacks going into the 2021 NFL Draft. Owner David Tepper told reporters following the firing of Marty Hurney that the team needed a “franchise guy” to be successful, proving that Teddy Bridgewater was just a bridge option after Cam Newton.
Bridgewater agreed to a three-year deal worth $63 million last offseason.
The Panthers, who will select No. 8 in the draft, seemed to be out of options when it came to pocket passer’s for the first round. With the San Francisco 49ers trading up to the No. 3 pick with Miami, it likely took Carolina out of the conversation for a quarterback barring a trade up.
Was the price too high? Would a team such as Atlanta be willing to trade with an in-division rival?
Carolina can focus their attention on rebuilding their offensive line. Darnold is still expected to have upside now that he’s out of Gase’s system. Under Matt Rhule and Joe Brady, perhaps fans will be able to see the potential he possesed when coming out of USC.
This also should allow Carolina to either take Oregon’s Penei Sewell or Northwestern’s Rahsawn Slater.
The Jets will be starting over at quarterback and Darnold will have the chance to write a new chapter. His reign in the Queen City might be stronger than the one found in New York for years to come.