The Carolina Panthers looked like they were going to be one of the upstart teams of the year in the early going of the 2021 season. They got off to a hot start, going 3-0 out of the gate as their decision to trade for Sam Darnold looked like a good one.
Darnold was productive in the early going, seemingly putting behind him all of the struggles he had with the New York Jets. But, once Christian McCaffrey went down with an injury the first time, the wheels fell off for the offense.
Carolina would win two games the remainder of the season, finishing 5-12. Cam Newton would end up starting some games as well, which wasn’t much of an improvement on Darnold. All three of the quarterbacks that started for Carolina, Darnold, Newton and P.J. Walker threw more interceptions than touchdowns in 2021.
That isn’t going to cut it and the Panthers need an upgrade under center. With McCaffrey, D.J. Moore, Robby Anderson and Terrace Marshall Jr. to get the ball to, there is some talent on this offense for whoever takes over the starting quarterback spot.
Who could be in line to do it? Here are three options the Panther should pursue this offseason.
The Carolina Panthers can go numerous ways to fill the quarterback position this offseason. One way would be going with a veteran stopgap, someone that could earn the long-term starting job with a solid performance in 2022. One player who fits that bill is Jimmy Garoppolo.
Garoppolo is almost certainly going to be moving on from the San Francisco 49ers this offseason. They want to turn the offense over to Trey Lance, whom they picked with the No. 3 overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft.
On an expiring deal, Garoppolo is a good target for Carolina. While not elite, he has proven that he can have success with the right pieces around him. The Panthers have an elite running back and strong wide receiver group for him to get the ball to, putting him in a good position.
Garoppolo is a sizable upgrade on what the Panthers received from their quarterbacks last season and he would have a chance to earn a long-term job there.
2. Kenny Pickett
If Carolina opts to go the draft route, they should have their pick of the quarterbacks available when they go on the clock at No. 6. One of the players that should be available is Kenny Pickett out of Pittsburgh.
Pickett was a Heisman Finalist in 2021, putting together a dominant season with the Panthers. He completed 334-of-499 pass attempts for 4,308 yards, 42 touchdowns and only seven interceptions.
Some people will knock him for his age, as he is a fifth-year senior. But he is by far the most NFL-ready of the prospects in this year’s draft class with 52 games of experience collegiately.
Pickett is also someone Matt Rhule is familiar with. Rhule received a commitment from Pickett while he was at Temple, but Rhule took the job at Baylor and Pickett ended up at Pittsburgh. But, the two could finally be reunited in 2022.
This Panthers team is a steady quarterback away from being a playoff team. They had six losses this season by eight or fewer points. A few breaks their way and things would have looked a lot different.
Cleaning up the quarterback position would help them accomplish that. There could be a few very good veteran quarterbacks available this offseason and the Panthers will be involved in trade talks for a few. One of the players who should be in their targets is Russell Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks.
Wilson has voiced frustrations with the franchise in the past and it could be time for a parting of the ways. He would be a huge upgrade in Carolina, who would likely become NFC South favorites with Tom Brady retiring and the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons rebuilding.
It wouldn’t be cheap, but the Panthers need to fix the quarterback position ASAP and Wilson would be a huge upgrade on what they had in 2021.
