The Carolina Panthers changed quarterbacks again this year, effectively trading Teddy Bridgewater for Sam Darnold. While there’s no doubt Darnold is a better athlete than Bridgewater and a more talented quarterback in general, he still has a great deal of room to improve. Unlocking his potential will fall mostly on Darnold’s shoulders. Carolina’s coaching staff will also play a critical role, though. That will begin with sharpening his technique.
New quarterbacks coach Sean Ryan says the team is working on Darnold’s footwork and his movement in and around the pocket, according to David Newton at ESPN.
“The process would be like any other quarterback I’ve worked with — you start from the feet up. . . When your feet are right, when your lower half is right, there’s a really good chance the balls are going in the right spot. . . To me, less moving parts equals more accuracy. So I think it’s a subtle movement up in the pocket, or to the side in the pocket, but I’m still in a great throwing position. And we’ve done a lot of that this offseason.”
If the Panthers can turn Darnold into a solid starter, it will be a parade-worthy accomplishment Matt Rhule’s staff. Pro Football Focus has him ranked No. 28 at the position right now and he was just named the league’s worst passer outside of the pocket.
All that said, Darnold just turned 24 years old and hasn’t had a legitimate chance to prove himself at this level. He deserves at least a full season with a competent playcaller and a quality receiver corps before any definitive judgments are made about his ability. Darnold will have both in Carolina.
