Rhule: Sam Darnold will take a huge step this year

[ladypanther]

Better coaching, better play calling and a better oline, Darnold will likely be a better QB.  Of course there is no way to go but up. Not expecting great things though.

[poundaway]

We've upgraded at OC, OL coach,  G, C, and backup RB.   CMC will probably be back...he can't afford to be down 3 yrs straight.   If Sam is the QB (doubful) he'll be in better place than he was game 4 on last year.

[07579394]

Even we pick a QB,Sam still will be our QB1,at least 3 games

[ForJimmy]

I kind of think he should stay on the roster. Just eat the cap hit and don’t trade away players/picks just to move him. Let him walk next year and he can be our backup this year (assuming we add another). 

[pantherj]

We know that Sam, or any half decent QB, can just rely on CMC to get wide open and hit him on short routes. Doing that over and over and over again will lead to CMC being out for the season again. That is easy to predict, and heads will roll if they pull that again. 

[TheWiz]

I fully expect this man to be get traded now. 

[ForJimmy]

1 minute ago, 07579394 said:

Even we pick a QB,Sam still will be our QB1,at least 3 games

Probably, but it also depends on who we pick. Someone more pro ready like Pickett might beat him out at camp like Mac did with Cam at NE. Most of the others probably won’t be ready week 1. 

[pantherj]

Sam is NOT getting another contract unless he balls out this season. Slight improvement is not good enough for another contract. We pull the trigger on a 2023 rookie if Sam doesn't show franchise QB ability in 2022.

[countryboi]

Expecting a player to suddenly become a player they have never shown you they could be is how coaches get fired. 

[frankw]

There are actually people in here who think Sam will be the starter AND he will be a good QB?

[pantherj]

The 2022 QBs look like they'll be backups in the NFL in the long run. They're only being talked about as 1st rounders because it's a bad QB crop, and teams are extremely thirsty for QBs. I like Pickett the best out the bunch, but he's a project that might not pan out. 

[Little Goody Two Shoes]

He will have an experienced OC and an improved offensive line. I would expect him to look better but not sure it will be a 'huge step'.

[Ornias]

[TLGPanthersFan]

37 minutes ago, hepcat said:

Haha I was about to say the same thing.

They're stuck with Darnold, for better or worse, most likely worse. They just need to do what they didn't do last year and that's have him compete with either a veteran or a rookie QB for the starting job. 

100 percent agree. He should not be the guaranteed starter when training camp begins.