Sam Darnold - Pro Football Rumors

Panthers Open To Re-Signing Cam Newton For 2022; Sam Darnold Done For Season?

November 14th, 2021 at 9:28am CST by Rory Parks

Panthers head coach Matt Rhule told reporters on Wednesday that quarterback Sam Darnold, who is dealing with a fracture of the scapula on his right shoulder, will miss at least four to six weeks. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, Carolina is confident that Darnold will actually miss the rest of the season, which is what prompted the club to reunite with Cam Newton earlier this week.

As soon as the Panthers knew that Darnold would likely be sidelined for the remainder of the 2021 campaign, they reviewed their in-house and outside options and determined that Newton was the best choice. As Ian Rapoport of NFL.com writes, Rhule then called Newton to determine the former MVP’s interest in rejoining his old team, and Newton was very excited about the prospect.

At that point, the discussions hinged on two factors, one of which was money. Newton, who is still getting paid by the Patriots, was not going to settle for the veteran minimum, which is why the two sides ultimately came together on a $6MM pact (although Newton can earn up to $10MM, it will be difficult for him to reach that maximum).

Just as important was Newton’s desire for “direct communication and accountability.” In other words, if the team has an issue with him, he wants to be told about it directly, just as Patriots head coach Bill Belichick did with him in New England. Rhule, GM Scott Fitterer, VP of football operations Steven Drummond — whose relationship with Newton helped get the deal done — and owner David Tepper promised him as much.

When initially asked about the possibility of re-signing Newton in 2022, Fitterer was noncommittal, saying, “we’re not there yet” (Twitter link via David Newton of ESPN.com). However, Schefter says that if Newton plays well for the rest of the season, he would immediately become the favorite to serve as the starting QB next year.

Rapoport, meanwhile, notes that while the team is certainly open to another contract for Newton, Carolina has by no means given up on Darnold. After all, Darnold is owed a fully-guaranteed $18.858MM for the 2022 season, and the Panthers liked what they saw from him in the first three weeks of this year. The club thinks that his shoulder ailment contributed to his poor performance over the last few weeks, and it has no intention of trying to cut ties this offseason.

If Newton plays in this afternoon’s contest against the Cardinals, he will only see a limited number of snaps. As we already knew, P.J. Walker will serve as today’s QB1. But assuming all goes well in practice over the coming days, Newton has a good chance to suit up against Washington and old friend Ron Rivera next week.

Panthers To Place Sam Darnold On IR

November 10th, 2021 at 1:42pm CST by Sam Robinson

Sam Darnold‘s promising start in Carolina has morphed into another tough season for the former top-three pick. And Darnold’s season will now involve an IR stint.

The shoulder injury Darnold is battling will sideline him for at least three games. Darnold suffered a partially fractured right scapula, Joe Person of The Athletic notes (subscription required). Although this IR stint only requires a three-game absence, Matt Rhule said Wednesday a four- to six-week hiatus should be expected.

While this injury is new, Darnold missing time is not. The 2018 draftee missed at least three games in his first three seasons. This shoulder setback will extend that streak to four. It comes after a brutal stretch for the ex-Jet, who now has an NFL-high 11 interceptions. The Panthers have lost five of their past six games, with Darnold having been benched in Week 7 and left in Week 8 due to injury. Attempting to play through pain in Week 9, Darnold threw three more INTs in a one-sided loss to the Patriots. While Darnold left the Falcons game due to injury, Rhule said he suffered this shoulder malady in the second quarter against the Pats.

The Panthers have P.J. Walker in place as Darnold’s backup and signed Matt Barkley this week. Walker is in line to start. While Walker excelled in the XFL’s abbreviated 2020 season, he could not stick with an NFL team prior to that XFL showing. He has one NFL start to his credit — a win over the Lions last season. Walker was 3 of 14 after replacing Darnold against the Giants earlier this season.

Carolina traded second-, fourth- and sixth-round picks for Darnold and picked up his fully guaranteed 2022 option, which is worth more than $18MM. But the team will likely again shop for a new quarterback next year.

Extra Points: Packers, Cook, OBJ

November 9th, 2021 at 10:37pm CST by Ben Levine

The NFL has finished their investigation into the Packers handling of COVID-19 protocols. The organization has been slapped with a $300K fine “for violations of the NFL and NFL Players Association protocols,” per ESPN’s Rob Demovsky (on Twitter). Quarterback Aaron Rodgers and wideout Allen Lazard were also fined $14,650.

Per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo (via Twitter), the two players were fined for attending a maskless Halloween party. The Packers’ organizational fine also stemmed from the party; while the gathering wasn’t organized by the team, the NFL believes the organization should have penalized each player. Otherwise, the NFL determined that the Packers complied to all protocols, with Garafolo noting that there was “no widespread or systemic mask-wearing violations.”

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter), the Packers organization was notified that “future violations could result in escalated discipline,” including the potential loss of draft picks.

The league looked at footage taken at the team’s facility to assure that masks were being worn and protocols were being followed. The NFL also interviewed Packers personnel as part of the process.

More notes from around the NFL:bay

A woman filed a lawsuit accusing Vikings star running back Dalvin Cook of assault, battery and false imprisonment, per Schefter. Cook’s attorney said his client was the victim in the incident, adding that the woman also tried to extort millions of dollars from the player. According to the lawsuit, the woman traveled to Minnesota to break up with Cook, and the meeting soon turned violent. Cook is accused of causing a concussion and leaving a scar on the woman’s face. Cook’s side says the woman stole Cook’s garage door opener, broke into the player’s house, and maced him upon entering. Both the Vikings and the NFL acknowledged that they were aware of the lawsuit.
New Raiders wideout DeSean Jackson will receive $1MM for the rest of the season, according to Garafolo (via Twitter). If Jackson decides to file for termination pay, he’ll end up earning more than he would have by sticking around Los Angeles. Meanwhile, interim head coach Rich Bisaccia told reporters that he’s excited to see what Jackson can bring to the squad. “I think we all have a lot of respect for his career and what he’s done, and I can remember him coming out,” Bisaccia said (h/t to Myles Simmons of ProFootballTalk.com). “So, we are excited about getting another speed element out there to be a complement to what we are trying to do on offense, certainly with the speed that Zay [Jones] has and what Bryan [Edwards] and Hunter [Renfrow] bring to us. It will be good for us to get another speed element going on offense. We are excited about getting him to practice.”
Sam Darnold suffered a fractured scapula, and the Panthers QB will “most likely” miss several weeks, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter). Darnold had one of his worst outings of the season on Sunday against the Patriots, completing only 48 percent of his passes while tossing three interceptions. P.J. Walker will likely get the starting nod with Darnold out of the lineup, although the team did add Matt Barkley earlier today.
Odell Beckham Jr. cleared waivers today, and the Browns will only be on the hook for $4.25MM, according to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com. The two sides’ decision to rework the player’s contract ultimately saved the team around $3MM. Meanwhile, Garafolo notes that Beckham is considering both one-year deals and multi-year pacts.

Panthers Activate Christian McCaffrey

November 6th, 2021 at 3:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

Christian McCaffrey may be set to return after his latest lengthy absence. The All-Pro back is off the Panthers’ IR list and back on the team’s active roster.

It is not yet certain McCaffrey will be in uniform against the Patriots, with a pregame workout set to determine his status, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. But Carolina activating McCaffrey is obviously a good indicator of his status for Sunday’s game. The Panthers still had more than two weeks to bump CMC back to their active roster, having only designated him to return from IR on Wednesday.

The Panthers’ offense has largely struggled without its top player. After a 3-0 start with McCaffrey in uniform, the Panthers have lost four of their past five games since he went down in Week 3 with a hamstring injury. Carolina enters Week 9 26th in scoring, with Sam Darnold having taken significant steps back after a hot start.

McCaffrey has certainly struggled to stay on the field since signing his $16MM-per-year extension in 2020. A high ankle sprain limited the dual-threat dynamo to three games last season, and this hamstring ailment cost him five thus far this year. When last healthy over a full season, McCaffrey made a push for Chris Johnson‘s scrimmage yards record in 2019. He totaled 2,392 en route to his monster contract. This Panthers iteration stands to receive a major boost once the fifth-year star returns.

Regarding Darnold, the Panthers announced Saturday he cleared concussion protocol. Although that bodes well for his Week 9 status, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets Darnold remains a game-time decision due to the shoulder injury he also suffered against the Falcons. P.J. Walker has replaced Darnold in each of the Panthers’ past two games. The ex-XFL standout would get the call if the Panthers deemed Darnold a no-go.

Panthers Eyeing OL Trades

October 6th, 2021 at 10:22pm CST by Ben Levine

Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer has made 13 trades since taking on the role in January (via Scott Fowler of the Charlotte Observer). If the GM has his way, his 14th trade will address the team’s offensive line issues. Fitterer told reporters that he’s called around about OL trades but hasn’t found a taker, noting that teams aren’t even willing to consider dealing their backups (via The Athletic’s Joe Person on Twitter).

“I mean, it’s not like there are offensive linemen available,” the executive said (via Fowler). “I think every team’s in the same situation we are. … There’s just not a lot of offensive linemen on the market right now. No one’s letting them out (the door) — even their backups.”

Quarterback Sam Darnold was hit 11 times and sacked five times during Sunday’s loss to the Cowboys. If the Panthers have playoff aspirations, they’ll need to keep their starting QB healthy, and reinforcing the offensive line would certainly help.

As Darin Gantt of the team’s website points out, the Panthers were forced to play a pair of injured OLs (left tackle Cameron Erving (knee) and right guard John Miller (shoulder)) on Sunday. While some acquisitions would certainly help, head coach Matt Rhule seemed to indicate that improved health could solve the offensive line’s issues.

“I think a lot of it comes down to who’s healthy when we get to Wednesday,” Rhule said (via Gantt). “Those guys, while it’s not always perfect, they’re playing hard for us while they’ve been banged up. I appreciate the way they’re playing. We’ll see what we do moving forward this week, see who’s healthy, see who’s available, and take full stock of where we are.”

Jets Strongly Considered Keeping Sam Darnold

September 18th, 2021 at 3:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

With their Panthers matchup in the past, the Jets and Sam Darnold can move in different directions. Zach Wilson made his NFL debut in the one-score loss. Both QBs are unquestioned starters, but the Jets spent extensive time on a scenario in which they’d be teammates.

Prior to the teams’ April trade, which sent Darnold to Carolina for three draft choices, the Jets gave strong consideration to keeping their previous starter and still drafting Wilson, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com notes. Robert Saleh indicated the team would have been OK with both passers on the 2021 roster.

“It would’ve been fine in either direction,” Saleh said. “Whether we had Zach at the reins, whether we had Sam, it didn’t really matter to us.”

The Jets could have made the arrangement work, cost-wise, with Darnold’s rookie deal running through 2021. By picking up Darnold’s fifth-year option, the Panthers have extended the deal to 2022. Of course, this also would have introduced the prospect of Wilson being blocked by a former top-three quarterback pick that did not have a long-term future with the franchise.

The Cardinals scuttled this type of plan two years ago, trading top-10 pick Josh Rosen after drafting Kyler Murray first overall a year later. Although the 2012 Colts and 2016 Eagles’ situations were a bit different, both teams moved incumbent starters — former No. 1 overall picks Peyton Manning and Sam Bradford — off their rosters to clear respective paths for Andrew Luck and Carson Wentz. The Chiefs went the other way four years ago, and Patrick Mahomes benefited from ex-No. 1 selection Alex Smith‘s mentoring. Darnold, however, did not offer the stability Smith did and, in his fourth season, made less sense as a mentor for Wilson.

Carolina sent a 2021 sixth-round pick and two 2022 picks — second- and fourth-rounders — for Darnold. The Panthers traded Teddy Bridgewater to the Broncos shortly after making that deal. Jets GM Joe Douglas said the team landing the No. 2 overall pick changed the blueprint. Darnold likely would still be a Jet had last year’s 2-14 finish not secured such a valuable draft choice. Wilson is now the future in New York. The Jets steered clear of veteran backups as well, giving the BYU prospect every opportunity to receive first-team practice reps leading up to his rookie season.

Panthers Pick Up Sam Darnold’s Option

April 30th, 2021 at 8:31am CST by Zachary Links

The Panthers have officially picked up Sam Darnold‘s fifth-year option, per a club announcement. This was the expected move after they passed on Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields to select South Carolina cornerback Jaycee Horn at No. 8.

The Panthers came into Thursday night knowing that Trevor Lawrence and Zach Wilson were virtual locks to go Nos. 1 and 2, respectively. Unlike other teams, they weren’t all that wild about North Dakota’s Trey Lance, who went No. 3. Fields reportedly held “intrigue” for the Carolina front office, but they chose to bolster the secondary instead.

Meanwhile, it’s undoubtedly a confidence booster for Darnold, who is coming off of a turbulent stretch with the Jets. Darnold, still just 23, has yet to deliver on the hype he carried in 2018. Last year, he ranked last in QBR among qualified passers and he has yet to eclipse 20 touchdown passes in a season. He’s also missed at least three games in each of his three seasons, including a lengthy stay on the sidelines due to an enlarged spleen.

The once-coveted prospect will replace Teddy Bridgewater (now with the Broncos) under center. Surrounded by old pal Robby Anderson, star running back Christian McCaffrey, and fellow ’18 draftee D.J. Moore, Darnold has a great opportunity to reignite his career.

2022 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker

April 29th, 2021 at 4:47pm CST by Zachary Links

NFL teams have until May 3 to officially pick up their options on 2018 first-rounders who are entering the final year of their rookie deals. In a change from years past, fifth-year option seasons are fully guaranteed, rather than guaranteed for injury only. Meanwhile, salaries are now determined by a blend of the player’s position, initial draft placement, and specific performance metrics:

2-time Pro Bowlers (excluding alternate Pro Bowlers) will earn the same as their position’s franchise tag.
1-time Pro Bowlers will earn the equivalent of the transition tag.
Players who achieve any of the following will get the average of the 3rd-20th highest salaries at their position:
- 75%+ snaps in two of their first three seasons
- 75%+ average across all three seasons
- 50%+ in each of first three seasons
Players who do not hit any of those benchmarks will get the average of the 3rd-25th top salaries at their position.

With the deadline looming, we’ll use the space below to track all the option decisions from around the league:

Updated 4-30-21, 4:24pm CT

QB Baker Mayfield, Browns: Exercised ($18.858MM)
RB Saquon Barkley, Giants: Exercised ($7.217MM)
QB Sam Darnold, Panthers (via Jets): Pending ($18.858MM)
CB Denzel Ward, Browns — Exercised ($13.294MM)
LB Bradley Chubb, Broncos — Pending ($12.716MM)
G Quenton Nelson, Colts — Pending ($13.754MM)
QB Josh Allen, Bills: Pending ($23.106MM)
LB Roquan Smith, Bears: Exercised ($9.735MM)
OT Mike McGlinchey, 49ers: Exercised ($10.88MM)
QB Josh Rosen, Cardinals: N/A
S Minkah Fitzpatrick, Steelers (via Dolphins): Exercised ($10.612MM)
DT Vita Vea, Buccaneers: Exercised ($7.638MM)
DT Daron Payne, Washington — Exercised ($8.529MM)
DE Marcus Davenport, Saints: Exercised ($9.553MM)
OT Kolton Miller, Raiders — N/A (extension)
LB Tremaine Edmunds, Bills: Pending ($12.716MM)
S Derwin James, Chargers: Exercised ($9.052MM)
CB Jaire Alexander, Packers: Exercised ($13.294MM)
LB Leighton Vander Esch, Cowboys: Pending ($9.145MM)
C Frank Ragnow, Lions: Exercised ($12.657MM)
C Billy Price, Bengals: Declined ($10.413MM)
LB Rashaan Evans, Titans: Pending ($9.735MM)
OT Isaiah Wynn, Patriots: Pending ($10.413 MM)
WR D.J. Moore, Panthers: Exercised ($11.116MM)
TE Hayden Hurst, Falcons (via Ravens): Pending ($5.428MM)
WR Calvin Ridley, Falcons: Pending ($11.116MM)
RB Rashaad Penny, Seahawks: Pending ($4.523MM)
S Terrell Edmunds, Steelers: Pending ($6.753MM)
DT Taven Bryan, Jaguars: Pending ($7.638MM)
CB Mike Hughes, Vikings: Pending ($12.643MM)
RB Sony Michel, Patriots: Pending ($4.523MM)
QB Lamar Jackson, Ravens: Exercised ($23.106MM)

Latest On Sam Darnold, Panthers’ Draft Plans

April 22nd, 2021 at 9:00am CST by Rory Parks

Shortly after the Panthers’ trade for quarterback Sam Darnold was completed, it was reported that Carolina would pick up Darnold’s fifth-year option for 2022. After all, it wouldn’t make sense for the team to trade three draft picks for a young passer without giving that passer at least two seasons to show what he can do.

However, the club has not exercised the option just yet. As Joe Person of The Athletic points out, virtually no teams have made official decisions on the fifth-year options for their 2018 first-rounders (the deadline to do so is May 3). So it could simply be that the Panthers’ brass just hasn’t gotten around to it.

Or, it could mean that the club is waiting to see if a collegiate passer it likes falls to its No. 8 overall selection. According to Person, the Panthers are not in love with Trey Lance or Mac Jones, and it’s a foregone conclusion that Trevor Lawrence and Zach Wilson will be the first two players off the board. So if Ohio State signal-caller Justin Fields — who is said to “intrigue” the Carolina front office — is there for the taking at No. 8, perhaps he could be the pick, which could lead to Darnold having his fifth-year option declined.

A source tells Person that Darnold’s option is still expected to be exercised. And with the Panthers having emerged as a legitimate trade-down candidate, perhaps this is all part of a ploy to drive up the price of the No. 8 pick. A trade down the board would allow Carolina to recoup some much-needed draft capital while still putting the team in range for one of the draft’s top cornerbacks (according to Person, the Panthers are high on several first-round CB prospects). Although Oregon’s Penei Sewell will likely be gone by the time the Panthers are on the clock, another quality LT could be had at No. 8 or a little bit later if the team chooses to move down.

In addition to Darnold, Carolina also has another 2018 first-rounder, D.J. Moore, to make a fifth-year decision on. The Panthers will almost certainly exercise his option, which checks in at $11.116MM, so the team may need to part with Robby Anderson in 2022. Which means, as David Newton of ESPN.com writes, a wide receiver like Alabama’s DeVonta Smith or Jaylen Waddle could be in play. Either receiver would go a long way towards helping Darnold both this year and in the future.

Panthers Considered Trading Up For QB

April 12th, 2021 at 6:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

Connected to Deshaun Watson and Matthew Stafford this offseason, the Panthers moved to Sam Darnold. They sent three draft choices (two in 2022) for the former Jets top-five draftee, who is on track to replace Teddy Bridgewater next season.

But the Panthers, whose quest to land a franchise quarterback was no secret this offseason, also considered making the kind of move the 49ers did. Carolina held internal discussions about vaulting up the draft board for a quarterback, Albert Breer of SI.com notes. However, the franchise that entered the 2020 offseason in rebuilding mode deemed the price to do so too extreme for its present situation.

It cost the 49ers their No. 12 pick, a 2021 third-rounder and 2022 and 2023 firsts to climb up nine spots to No. 3. The Panthers, who resumed Darnold talks with the Jets in Columbus while there for Justin Fields‘ first pro day, do not boast the roster talent the 49ers do at this point. Dealing away two future first-rounders for this draft’s second- or third-best quarterback, though the Jets are not believed to have received a firm offer for No. 2, would cost the Panthers chances at adding long-term starters. That said, Carolina did offer its No. 8 pick, Bridgewater and a fifth-rounder for Stafford in January.

With legal issues ensnaring Watson, his top would-be suitor will have Darnold under contract for two more seasons — on a rookie salary in 2021 and an fifth-year option price ($18.9MM) in 2022 — unless the sides agree to an extension. Darnold’s presence should not take the Panthers out of the running for Watson down the road, and Breer notes they should be expected to draft a quarterback at No. 8 — should one they like fall that far. Mac Jones and, to a lesser degree, Trey Lance have been the passers connected to the 49ers at 3. Lance and Fields seemingly have the best chance of falling to the eighth spot.

The Panthers did not want to part with their second- or third-round picks in this year’s draft for Darnold, Breer notes, so they and the Jets settled on a package that included a 2022 second-rounder as the centerpiece. The Panthers were offering their 2021 fifth-rounder, the same one they dangled as a Stafford throw-in, but swapped that out for a 2022 fourth to sweeten their offer to the Jets. The sixth-rounder Carolina gave up this year was a compensatory pick, the lowest of the team’s three 2021 sixths.