The Carolina Panthers today acquire Sam Darnold from the Jets. The deal:
Panthers receive:
QB Sam Darnold
Jets receive:
2021 sixth-round pick
2022 second-round pick
2022 fourth-round pick
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) April 5, 2021
• Love the deal for the Panthers and Darnold. The Panthers (unlike the Patriots) coached the Senior Bowl and had up-close intel on Mac Jones. Perhaps he was the apple of their eye after that, and figured (as most of the NFL does) that the 49ers were going select Jones with the third overall pick. The Panthers were then faced with the dilemma: Do we want to pay the price (at least one future first-round pick and another premium pick) to move up to 4th or 5th overall to secure either Trey Lance or Justin Fields, or are we better off trading two future premium picks for a talented player who has underachieved in difficult surroundings?
• This was a Patriots-like move for the Patriots to get a distressed asset. Darnold has a ton of talent, which is why he was the third overall pick (Bill Belichick once said, "he has quite a bit of physical talent.) No one is saying this is going to pay off, but there's enough circumstantial evidence — like having two different offenses in three years, being on the J-E-T-S for three years as they were 13-25, and Adam Gase not being a good head coach — to suggest Darnold has a real shot to revive his career. The Panthers should be on the rise in the next couple of years with a stable coach in Matt Rhule, and a well-regarded young offensive coordinator in Joe Brady (good luck keeping him once the Panthers contend).
• Belichick on Darnold in 2019: "Sam’s a very talented player. We know that. Again, he’s big, he’s strong, he can make all the throws: short, intermediate, deep. He can extend plays with his legs. He’s also a strong player that’s hard to bring down in the pocket. He can shed tacklers and stay on his feet and throw the ball and still throw it accurately. He’s shown good toughness last year and this year. Going back to the opener against Buffalo, and then yesterday against Dallas, he shows good toughness in the pocket and he’s a quality player. It certainly makes a big difference having him on the field for them. There’s no question about that.''
• Do I think the Patriots would have done this deal? I doubt it. I bet they figure they can get just as good — without having been tainted by another organization, like the Jets — with much more contract control and that player can be slowly brought along with a redshirt year in 2021.
• Do I think the Patriots should have been willing to do this deal, if the Jets would do business with them (I don't think they would, unless the Patriots overpaid)? All things being equal, yes. Darnold makes just $4.8 million this year in the final year of his deal. Even with the fifth-year option in '22 at nearly $20 million, it's not outrageous to say two years at $25 million with the franchise tag available in Year 3 is a good price for a talented player. And the trade compensation is not much.
• What a debacle for the Jets. Darnold was the third overall pick and after three years, they basically took anything they could get for him, and will hit the reset button (again) with Zach Wilson. The Jets also now don't have one of their first-round picks on their roster prior to 2019. That's awful.
• What about the QB dominoes? The Panthers are out of the first-round quarterbacks now. This now leaves Washington, Chicago, Denver, Pittsburgh and New England as the desperate teams for a QB, or at least they should be. Atlanta and New Orleans might not be far away.
• If the Falcons knew what was good for them, they would pick a QB fourth overall. I don't care what they did to Matt Ryan's contract, and he hasn't fallen off a cliff, the Falcons need a QB of the future. But with new coach Arthur Smith, I bet he wants to go with Ryan for another couple of years and spend the pick on an impact offensive player, either at left tackle or another position. But that's not the best thing for the organization.
• I would expect Washington and Denver to be aggressive going up for the other two top quarterbacks, Justin Fields and Trey Lance. The Broncos might sit tight at No. 9 and be fine either way on whether or not they get a QB. That means if the Patriots want to trade up — and I don't think they do — you have to at least get to No. 8 and try to figure out what Washington is going to do.
• I don't care what they do, but it is entertaining to watch Belichick just slow-play the QB market while he was aggressive in every other area during free agency — and every other team is making moves. Maybe he knows he's getting a Garoppolo at some point. Maybe he does really believe in Cam Newton 2.0. Nobody's really sure. The Patriots are just doing their thing. I can, however, understand how it can be frustrating to the fans, especially the sizable segment that saw enough of Newton last year.
• Yes, Teddy Bridgewater is available. Do I think the Patriots have much interest in him? No. I think it's much more plausible the 49ers could view Bridgewater as a cheaper bridge than Jimmy Garoppolo, but only if Bridgewater agrees to restructure his contract (he's owed $17 million and $20 million the next two years). But I don't think that's likely.
• No, I don't think anything is going to happen anytime soon on the Garoppolo front. Lot of offseason to go.