Carolina Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold hasn't had the career many expected him to have in the NFL. The third overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Darnold was traded from the Jets to the Panthers in 2021. Despite the disappointing start, Darnold remains confident in his abilities via Pro Football Talk.
Darnold specifically mentioned that he's focused on improving his footwork this offseason. His noticeably erratic footwork has been one of his biggest weaknesses, going back to when he was seeing ghosts in New York. In three seasons with the Jets, he threw for 8,097 yards along with 45 touchdowns and 39 interceptions. In his first season in Carolina, Darnold was uninspiring once again, as he threw more interceptions (13) than touchdowns (nine) in 11 starts. The Panthers went just 4-7 in Darnold's starts.
Rumors circulated all offseason regarding Darnold and his future with the Panthers. The Panthers were a trendy spot for Kenny Pickett with their sixth overall selection in the 2022 NFL Draft. They ended up picking an offensive tackle, Ickey Ekwonu out of NC State. Then, Matt Corral fell to the third round and the Panthers scooped him up.
Corral will seemingly get a chance at some point for the Panthers. Additionally, Baker Mayfield has been rumored to the Panthers once he gets out of Cleveland. In other words, Darnold's days as a starting quarterback in the NFL seem to be coming to an end.
With four NFL seasons in the books, he is who he is at this point, it seems. In 49 career starts, his teams are just 17-32, as he's yet to even sniff the playoffs. Still, you have to commend Darnold for the continued confidence. We'll see if that confidence leads to improved results in the 2022 NFL season.
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