To say that the Carolina Panthers are having a bad season is a massive understatement. They have not looked like a cohesive team on both ends of the ball to start the year. Baker Mayfield, the man they hoped would elevate this team to mediocrity at least, is playing some of the worst football of his life. Now, Mayfield will miss time due to an ankle injury.
Amid Baker Mayfield's injury, the Panthers are making a decision on another QB of theirs: Sam Darnold. The former Jets signal-caller started the year on the injured list after suffering an ankle sprain during the preseason. Now, Carolina is taking Darnold off of the Injured Reserve list. (via Adam Schefter)
Panthers designated Sam Darnold to return from IR.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 19, 2022
To be clear, this does not mean that Sam Darnold will surely play during the Panthers' Week 7 game against the Buccaneers. The team will need to officially activate him within 21 days for him to play. However, based on the reporting from the last few days, it seems like Darnold will be activated sooner than later.
Will Darnold be the solution to all of Carolina's problems? Based on his past performances, probably not. Save for a three-game stretch last season, Darnold is still an underwhelming QB option. However, the Panthers badly need a QB shakeup to mix things up. Perhaps Darnold will be the unlikely hero this struggling team needs.
The Panthers have already fired Matt Rhule after yet another terrible start to the team. Perhaps with a new coach leading him, Sam Darnold can perform better than he did last season. At the very least, we won't see a two-QB system with Mayfield, so that's a positive… right?
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