{"id":116239,"date":"2021-06-10T10:54:22","date_gmt":"2021-06-10T14:54:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/?p=116239"},"modified":"2021-06-10T10:54:22","modified_gmt":"2021-06-10T14:54:22","slug":"sam-darnold-carolina-panthers-roster-preview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2021\/06\/10\/sam-darnold-carolina-panthers-roster-preview\/","title":{"rendered":"Carolina Panthers Roster Preview: Sam Darnold"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>For better or worse, Sam Darnold will ultimately determine the success of the 2021 Carolina Panthers. Quarterback has always been the most important position in sports, and that has never been truer in today\u2019s pass-happy league. Darnold spent his first three years in arguably the worst situation in the league, but can he improve with a better supporting cast?<\/p>\n<p>[pickup_prop id=&#8221;5375&#8243;]<\/p>\n<h2>Sam Darnold: Carolina Panthers Roster Preview<\/h2>\n<p>Originally drafted with the third-overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Sam Darnold has not lived up to the hype. Since entering the league, Darnold is dead last in EPA\/play and EPA+CPOE composite. One could argue he\u2019s gotten worse since entering the league, as he set career-lows in yards per attempt, QBR, passer rating, and touchdown percentage last year.<\/p>\n<p>The raw numbers aren\u2019t good, but there is reason to believe he can improve in a better situation. Quarterbacks play the largest role in the success of a team, but nobody can do it all on their own. Darnold\u2019s coaching, offensive line, and supporting cast have all been atrocious since entering the league, and there is a chance that an improved situation will finally help him look <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2021\/05\/10\/why-sam-darnold-will-be-successful-in-2021\/\" target=\"_self\">like a real franchise quarterback<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>While his overall tape leaves something to be desired, every now and again you do see <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NFL\/status\/1310315098179739648?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">what made him so special<\/a> in college. His accuracy comes and goes, but Darnold has the physical ability to make just about any throw he could ever need to make. Additionally, he has the size to break tackles and buy time just like a younger Ben Roethlisberger.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Sam Darnold dances in the pocket and hits <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/HNYNUT_BERRIOS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@HNYNUT_BERRIOS<\/a> for a <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/nyjets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@nyjets<\/a> touchdown! <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/TakeFlight?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#TakeFlight<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\ud83d\udcfa: <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/NYJvsIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#NYJvsIND<\/a> on CBS<br \/>\ud83d\udcf1: NFL app \/\/ Yahoo Sports app:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/9RobDGGsOD\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">https:\/\/t.co\/9RobDGGsOD<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/ononGvstpm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/ononGvstpm<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; NFL (@NFL) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NFL\/status\/1310315098179739648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">September 27, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h4>Can the Carolina Panthers Support Sam Darnold?<\/h4>\n<p>The Carolina Panthers are a much more stable organization than the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/category\/nfl-teams\/jets\/\" target=\"_self\">New York Jets<\/a>, but have they done enough for Darnold to succeed? The most important aspect is the coaching staff, and Matt Rhule and Joe Brady proved to be solid offensive minds during their first year in Carolina. Even while working with a subpar quarterback in Teddy Bridgewater, the coaching staff managed to draw up plays that moved the ball down the field. Pro Football Focus was so impressed with Carolina\u2019s work that they named Joe Brady the fifth-best playcaller in the NFL.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The top offensive play callers in the NFL, per @PFF_Eric <\/p>\n<p>Do you agree? <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/ZBI5DrqhDb\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/ZBI5DrqhDb<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; PFF (@PFF) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/PFF\/status\/1402702039851933698?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">June 9, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>At the end of the day, however, players play and coaches coach. Advantageous schemes are obviously helpful, but they won\u2019t matter without players capable of executing at a high level. Fortunately, the Carolina Panthers have plenty of pass-catching talent.<\/p>\n<p>D.J. Moore has exceeded 1,100 yards in each of the past two seasons despite terrible quarterback play, and he should be a lock to do it again. He can line up all over the formation and make plays at every level of the field. Robby Anderson, meanwhile, proved to be a perfect fit for this offense and already has an established rapport with Darnold. He should be in for a huge year if he isn\u2019t traded. Terrace Marshall Jr. has yet to play an NFL snap, but he had first-round talent and should be one of the NFL\u2019s better third options.<\/p>\n<p>The biggest question is the offensive line. Carolina tried to improve the unit, the fact of the matter is that this is still <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2021\/06\/09\/pff-carolina-panthers-offensive-line\/\" target=\"_self\">one of the worst groupings in the league<\/a>. You don\u2019t need a great offensive line to succeed in the NFL, but you do need some level of competence. Favorable schemes and open receivers won\u2019t matter if Darnold can\u2019t stay on his feet.<\/p>\n<h4>Will Sam Darnold Succeed?<\/h4>\n<p>Unfortunately, it\u2019s hard to imagine a world where Sam Darnold ever lives up to his pre-draft billing. Yes, New York was a terrible situation, but it\u2019s hard to be that bad for that long without placing any of the blame on the quarterback\u2019s shoulders.<\/p>\n<p>Chances are, Darnold would need the perfect situation in order to improve, and Carolina doesn\u2019t provide that. While the weapons and coaching are both solid, this subpar offensive line is going to be an issue. Good quarterbacks can overcome poor blocking, but nothing in Darnold\u2019s professional career suggests that he is a good quarterback.<\/p>\n<p>Hopefully, Darnold can prove me wrong. However, if he continues to play like his normal self, then the Carolina Panthers are going to spend quite a bit of time kicking themselves for passing on Justin Fields in the NFL Draft.<\/p>\n<p>Main photo:<br \/>\n<a id=\"jk-AfGeYR9tqBKRnBj7XuA\" class=\"gie-single\" style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/1294684382\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'jk-AfGeYR9tqBKRnBj7XuA',sig:'BGkSQWTNIlemzEUvNjCnIG5R2uoZHCyxunZYQRTd2Xs=',w:'594px',h:'396px',items:'1294684382',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});<\/script><script src='\/\/embed-cdn.gettyimages.com\/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' async><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Former New York Jets quarterback and first-round pick Sam Darnold is the latest member of the Carolina Panthers quarterback carousel.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2376,"featured_media":114246,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[7546,7661,1535],"class_list":["post-116239","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-panthers","tag-carolina-panthers-roster","tag-panthers-featured","tag-sam-darnold"],"modified_by":"David Latham, Managing Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116239","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2376"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=116239"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116239\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/114246"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=116239"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=116239"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=116239"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}