Can Sam Darnold play himself into becoming the 2023 starter?

[mav1234]

10 minutes ago, MasterAwesome said:

I hope not…if I’m the Panthers, I’m 50/50 on bringing Darnold back and I spend the last game of the season letting him loose in the pass game to help me make that decision.

Maybe but I expect Wilks to do everything in his power to win this game... And we know that is less likely on Darnold's back than on Foreman's

[Carl Spackler]

3 minutes ago, ForJimmy said:

That makes sense. At NO is always tough too.

Personally, I always want to win, but realistically, I don't see it.

[Waldo]

All you have to do is run for more than 185 yards in a game and he isn't terrible. 

I just don't see how that equals being a starter by choice. I kind of want someone to take that shot so we can all watch it playout like Rivera in DC, just not here please. I respect him turning it over less this year but he is still a player I would much rather play against than cheer for if we are all taking winning seriously. 

[ECHornet]

29 minutes ago, mav1234 said:

I posted a similar breakdown but one thing to keep in mind is that's assuming he plays at this level across a season. I like him a lot as a backup/ bridge and I am skeptical of that.

For the record, I’m not saying I believe he would equal that production if he’d been healthy the whole season. It’s just the best way to see how good he’s been since he returned. And he has been good, despite what many here would have you believe. 

[CPantherKing]

Darnold has been and will continue to be a negative return for the Panthers franchise if he stays on the roster.

[weyco2000]

6 hours ago, kungfoodude said:

Minshew is better than Darnold, IMO. Not as talented but takes much better care of the ball, so he would be an option. 

https://overthecap.com/free-agency

There are actually a lot of game managing type QB's that are better than Darnold that should be available. No one that is going to blow your socks off or become the franchise(save maybe Carr or Jackson). Garoppolo may be available so he would probably be the most premium option realistically available but at his price you may as well go after Carr. Then you have a group of game managing QB's like Minshew, Bridgewater, Brissett, etc. A few cheaper, younger higher talent gambles mixed in.

Overall, there will be options available but nome of them particularly stellar outside of Carr or Jackson.

Minshew has thrown 3 picks in 2 games started. Not to mention, the highest scoring team in the NFL only generated 10 points, at home, against the third place team in the NFCS. The guy is the perfect example of the term “journeyman QB”.

[JVic]

Does he have any eligibility left at USC.  I mean South Carolina, not the real USC where they have a QB who is 7 times better than him.  

[trueblade]

2 hours ago, JVic said:

Does he have any eligibility left at USC.  I mean South Carolina, not the real USC where they have a QB who is 7 times better than him.  

Real USC is in Columbia. We were a college before California was a state. 

[CPF4LIFE]

9 hours ago, AggieLean said:

and that makes me happy.

 

one of the reasons I do not want Wilks back. I know a new coach is going to make a play for a new qb.

Facts. A new coach is just not gonna attach themself to darnold or corral. It just wouldn't be a good business decision. 

[glenwo2]

1 hour ago, CPF4LIFE said:

Facts. A new coach is just not gonna attach themself to darnold or corral. It just wouldn't be a good business decision. 

You do know that when we get a New Head Coach, it would also mean "Bye-Bye" to PJ, right?  

Edited January 4, 2023 by glenwo2

[glenwo2]

11 hours ago, mav1234 said:

I'm not sure I'll want him back if he returns to "awful". I'm expecting a game more like his first few games here - lots of running game, limited passing.

Same here.

But I think the key here is if Darnold rebounds from his not-as-ball-careful (despite some of it not being his fault) outing, and has more of an outing like the other games.

If he does, then he should expect to get some offers from other teams on backup roles somewhere.

And I agree with @kungfoodude(I think it was you) that mentioned that the new head coach isn't going to saddle himself with Sam Darnold.

He may not even want him at Backup and want his own idea of what a backup actually is in his mind. 

[kungfoodude]

7 hours ago, weyco2000 said:

Minshew has thrown 3 picks in 2 games started. Not to mention, the highest scoring team in the NFL only generated 10 points, at home, against the third place team in the NFCS. The guy is the perfect example of the term “journeyman QB”.

Sounds like someone who has never looked at his almost 3:1 TD:INT ratio in his career.

[kungfoodude]

4 hours ago, trueblade said:

Real USC is in Columbia. We were a college before California was a state. 

Wrong. I can go to 49 of 50 states and ask what college USC is and they will say "University of Southern California."

Same with "Carolina." I can go to 49 of 50 states and ask what college is "Carolina" and I am gonna hear North Carolina.

The only thing that people know SC by is the "Cocks."

[Toomers]

30 minutes ago, kungfoodude said:

Wrong. I can go to 49 of 50 states and ask what college USC is and they will say "University of Southern California."

Same with "Carolina." I can go to 49 of 50 states and ask what college is "Carolina" and I am gonna hear North Carolina.

The only thing that people know SC by is the "Cocks."