What Sam Darnold said about the Panthers potentially drafting another quarterback
.JPG "Carolina Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold (14) scrambles in the first half of an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints in New Orleans, Sunday, Jan. 2, 2022. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)")
In his first public comments of the 2022 offseason, Panthers’ quarterback Sam Darnold said he’s not bothered that Carolina has sought alternatives at quarterback in recent weeks.
It’s something he’s tried not to pay attention to, he said.
Among those alternatives was trying to trade for former Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, who was eventually dealt to the Cleveland Browns.
“New York was on another level,” Darnold told Bussin’ With The Boys podcast. “I kind of figured out how to handle it there ... That was just not paying attention to it. So that’s the way I’ve handled it, and I’ve kind of done the same thing this offseason, where I’m just trying to learn coach (Ben) McAdoo’s system and that’s where I’m at.”
The Panthers traded for Darnold a year ago on April 6, 2021. In exchange, they gave up a 2021 sixth-round pick, and a second- and fourth-round pick in this year’s draft. Though he struggled in his first three seasons with the Jets, the Panthers had hoped he could be better in a new system and under then-offensive coordinator Joe Brady.
He wasn’t.
In 12 games, he threw nine touchdowns and 13 interceptions and had a 71.9 passer rating. He also suffered a shoulder blade injury in Week 9 and missed five consecutive games. Darnold was 4-7 as a starter.
The Panthers fired Brady before the end of the season and hired Ben McAdoo this offseason to run the offense.
“I think Sam is going to play significantly better football,” Panthers coach Matt Rhule said last week at the NFL owners’ meetings. “I thought at the end of the year when he came back, we didn’t play great in those games as a team, but I thought Sam played much better. Obviously, I hired Ben McAdoo with the belief that Ben would elevate the passing game.”
Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer said last month that the quarterback position was an open competition and indicated that Carolina would bring in another quarterback to compete with Darnold for the starting spot.
How they find another quarterback remains to be seen, but it could be through the draft where the Panthers hold the sixth overall draft pick.
When asked on the podcast about the possibility of the Panthers choosing a quarterback at No. 6, Darnold said he’s confident with himself.
“At the end of the day, it’s out of my control,” Darnold said. “I have enough security in myself to where I can be like, I know I can be a good quarterback, I can be a good quarterback in this league, I’ve proved it, and I know that there’s a team — if something happens — that would want me.”
Darnold and the podcast’s host talked about a range of topics, including his time in New York when they, too, were considering drafting a quarterback while he was on the roster last year. He also addressed being traded to the Panthers and Cam Newton’s signing.
In regards to Newton, Darnold said when the Panthers signed Newton on Nov. 11, he didn’t really know what to make of it. But he said he has nothing but positive things to say about him.
“Just like anyone else, he’s going to be quiet and do his work and sit in the QB room and watch tape and take notes,” Darnold said of Newton. “He’s going to be in the training room with his headphones on in the hot tub just chilling with his towel around his neck. He’s a normal dude.
“There are times in the locker room and stuff where he gets very charismatic and very high energy and stuff and it’s awesome. But he’s just a natural-born leader. He has that energy. Just the things that I’ve learned from him. He’s dealt with a ton of stuff. Just so much respect. A great dude.”
This story was originally published April 7, 2022 at 10:56 AM.
