Panthers coach Matt Rhule has said multiple times this offseason that if the regular season began today, Sam Darnold would be the starter.
However, the reality is that the NFL season doesn’t start in June. It begins in September and a lot can, and likely will happen before then.
Rhule said he likes what he’s seen from Darnold recently. He’s made throws and looks a lot more confident under Ben McAdoo than he did under previous offensive coordinator Joe Brady.
But neither Rhule, nor Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer, have ruled out trading for a veteran quarterback, meaning a trade for Baker Mayfield, or even Jimmy Garoppolo, is still in play.
“If you go watch him in OTAs last year to this year, it’s night and day how far he’s come,” Rhule said of Darnold. “That being said, if something comes down that makes us better, I know we’ll look at it.
“And that’s true for every position.”
The Panthers renewed talks with the Browns earlier this past week before minicamp began, but nothing has come of it. The Panthers want the Browns to take on the majority of Mayfield’s guaranteed $18.9 million salary, similar to what Carolina did when it traded Teddy Bridgewater to the Broncos. In that instance, Carolina paid $7 million, while Denver paid $4 million.
And though the Browns have shown a willingness to take on at least half of Mayfield’s salary, the Panthers are looking for them to go further, especially given the fact that the Panthers already have a lot of money tied up in their quarterbacks. Carolina is paying Darnold $18.9 million this season.
While Garoppolo remains an option, that option seems less likely than Mayfield.
The Observer reported last month that there are some within the organization who have concerns with his durability and the health of his right throwing shoulder, which he had surgery on after the 2021 season. He’s not expected to be ready until at least training camp.
Garoppolo’s cap number is also significantly higher. The Panthers could wait until the 49ers cut him.
Until then, it’s Darnold and Corral battling it out for QB1.
“No matter what, they are always going to do what’s best for the team,” Darnold said. “Whether that’s Scott going out and getting someone he feels can do a better job, that’s not for me to judge.
“I’ve got to hold up my end of the bargain. If I’m the starting quarterback for this team, I’ve got to play good football, not turn the ball over, and put the ball in the end zone.”
Darnold took the majority of the snaps in minicamp. He’s been more accurate on his throws than Corral. He has a deeper knowledge of the playbook and has game experience.
Corral looked good at times in OTAs and at minicamp. He has exceptional athleticism and can zip passes in tight windows. Rhule said the arrow is pointing up for Corral.
But there are still some challenges the rookie is grappling with that will take some time to learn. And the Panthers don’t want to rush him on the field if they don’t have to.
“I think the way (McAdoo) kind of says this, when the ball is snapped, Matt’s natural instincts are usually pretty right on,” Rhule said. “There was a play today, he went to the left, it wasn’t there and came back to the right.
“When you find a young guy who can scan the field like that, it’s pretty good. The pre-snap is what’s getting him.”
In the NFL, Corral will get the call from his coach in his helmet, relay the call to his teammates in the huddle, make a protection call and any other checks. In college, he didn’t have to do that.
“The details within the play,” Corral said, when asked about the biggest adjustment from college to the NFL. “There are checks in every play. Just understanding what everybody has on the snap of the finger when it’s called. Because you’re telling every single person what to do. It’s much more detailed.”
As the Panthers break for the summer, it’ll be incumbent upon the players to stay in shape and ready for training camp. Corral said he plans to train in Florida over the break, and during that time, he hopes to master the playbook.
He said he has the physical tools to be successful, he just needs to get the mental down. He said he felt he got better as the week went on.
“The work is never done,” he said. “You can always be better in certain areas, and for me, it’s just processing it quicker. I don’t want to be thinking about it when I snap the ball. Today, I was.
“There’s room to improve in every aspect (of my game) and that’s what I plan on doing.”
