Earlier this week we hit another big QB trade that shakes up the landscape of the NFL once again.
Panthers Receive
QB Sam Darnold
Jets Receive
227th Overall Pick
2022 2nd Round Pick
2022 4th Round Pick
With the Second Overall Pick in the 2021 NFL Draft the New York Jets Select...
QB Zach Wilson BYU. After seeing Wilson's pro day it is a closed case, the Jets will have their new star quarterback under center. This will be the first time in NFL history where a team has used two Top-3 picks on a QB in four years. Zach Wilson may be an upgrade over the struggling Darnold, but I for one was definitely in his camp to stick around for one more year. With a new coaching staff and a high pick, the Jets could have easily drafted the top T or WR in the draft both of which would help him out immensely. If it still didn't work out the Jets could have easily let Darnold walk and find a new QB in 2022, but instead, they decide to start over.
Panthers HC Matt Rhule Gets the Best of Both Worlds
As we all remember, during Matt Rhule's tour of the league he came down to the Jets and Panthers as his best suitors, many believed that he would in fact go to the Jets to coach Darnold whom he admired, and his former (now current) upcoming star WR Robby Anderson. Now Rhule gets his guy down in Carolina and hopes that he and his compatriot OC Joe Brady can exorcise Darnold's ghosts and keep him away from the wretched cooties virus that is plaguing our nation.
Darnold Can Prove Himself While Surrounded by Real Talent
The Jets have nobody on the roster. Darnold s the real winner of this trade as he upgrades from Frank Gore and Jamison Crowder to Christian McCaffrey and his old friend Robby Anderson. The Panthers picked up Darnold's 5th-year option which gives him a two-year expiration date before they desperately hit the reset button, this will be his chance to prove that he can be a starter in this league and resurrect his career in a Tannehill-esque fashion.
The Real Losers
Teddy Bridgewater saw Carolina as his home as he signed a three-year deal last season to be the starter for the Panthers, and here he is one season later being replaced by another estranged QB looking for another chance. Darnold is the assumed starter for the Panthers in 2022 and reports have already surfaced the Teddy B. is on his way out. I expect the Broncos to be in on him heavily, quite possibly overpaying in the process.
Of course, I have to mention the other big loser in all of this: the Texans. Carolina was all in on trading for QB Deshaun Watson pre-scandal and if the Texans had budged they would have ammo to fix their franchise and they would not have to deal with this masseuse problem. Four of their six suitors have found the answer to their QB problem (SF-draft, NYJ-draft, MIA-committed to Tua, CAR-Darnold) and the other two (DEN & PHI) already have a short-term answer. The Texans have now left themselves with no draft picks and a QB that could be facing prison; a tough time to be in Houston right about now.
by Brandon McCann
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