Sam Darnold - Pro Football Rumors

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.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Jets Notes: Douglas, Darnold, Wilson

April 8th, 2021 at 9:43pm CST by Ben Levine

Joe Douglas didn’t take the Sam Darnold trade lightly, and the Jets GM acknowledged how difficult it was telling the quarterback that he had been traded to the Panthers.

“[T]he swallow-hard moment for me was just making that call to Sam,” Douglas told SI’s Albert Breer. “You know how much work and dedication he’s put in the last three years here, how many rough situations he’s been through, and never wavered with his confidence. Still, when we had the call, I know in his heart of hearts that he feels he was the right guy to turn this franchise around. I just have so much admiration for how he carries himself.”

During the interview with Breer, Douglas revealed that the front office took their time determining how to proceed at quarterback. While the team would have normally completed their scouting much earlier in the offseason, they didn’t get a chance to see the top quarterback prospects in person until late March. Eventually, the organization decided that they’d feel comfortable taking a signal-caller with the No. 2 pick.

“I don’t know how every team approaches a quarterback [evaluation], but I’ve always thought it was a golden rule—you don’t ever take a quarterback until you stand near or next to a guy and watch him throw the football,” Douglas said. “None of the top brass were able to get out to a BYU game this year. There were no all-star games, no combine. You could see Mac Jones at the Senior Bowl. But other than that, your only opportunity to stand there and watch them throw was at a pro day.”

We explored some of the GM’s other soundbites earlier tonight, including the fact that the Jets had a competitive offer for Darnold earlier in the offseason.

Some more notes out of New York:

Joseph Person and Connor Hughes of The Athletic provided a detailed timeline of the Darnold trade, dating back to Jets season-ending loss to the Patriots in early January. Among the notable revelations from the article was the fact that the Panthers starting offer for the quarterback was a fourth-round pick, while the Jets were initially requesting a first-rounder (even if it was conditional). Douglas considered holding out until after the draft in pursuit of that first, but he ultimately decided to avoid the risk of the Panthers pivoting to a rookie or another veteran quarterback.
BYU quarterback Zach Wilson is the favorite to be selected second overall by the Jets. Wilson underwent shoulder surgery back in 2019, but NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets that the team continues to have no concern about the shoulder, especially after they got positive news from a recent physical. Based on advice from “trusted medical sources,” the organization has “zero issues about Wilson’s shoulder,” per RapSheet.
The 2020 sixth-round pick that the Panthers sent to the Jets in the Darnold trade is a compensatory selection, according to ESPN’s Rich Cimini (on Twitter). That pick comes in at No. 226 overall.
We learned earlier tonight that the Jets re-signed cornerback Bennett Jackson. The 2014 sixth-rounder didn’t appear in a regular season game until the 2019 season, when he appeared in six games with the Jets and Ravens. He appeared in four games this past season for New York, collecting a single tackle.

Broncos Expressed Interest In Sam Darnold

April 8th, 2021 at 8:29pm CST by Ben Levine

Add another team to the list of organizations that apparently expressed interest in Sam Darnold. Albert Breer of SI.com writes that the Broncos had touched base with the Jets about a potential trade for the quarterback. However, the reporter described Denver’s interest in the former third-overall pick as “tepid.”

We heard last month that the Broncos weren’t interested in Darnold, although that report indicated that the organization’s lack of interest was more about the asking price (a second rounder) than the player. The Jets were presumably eyeing Denver’s pick at No. 40; Darnold was ultimately traded to the Panthers for a deal that was highlighted by a 2022 second-round pick.

Of course, in hindsight, it’s not a huge surprise that the Broncos reached out to the Jets. For starters, going into the 2018 draft, previous Broncos GM (and current president of football operations) John Elway was interested in selecting the quarterback. Further, the organization has seemingly been on the hunt for a quarterback all offseason; the team reportedly showed interest in Matthew Stafford, Deshaun Watson, and Andy Dalton.

Breer provided another interesting note on the Darnold trade, writing that the Jets received an intriguing offer for the quarterback in early March, but the team wasn’t yet convinced that they were going to take a quarterback with the second-overall pick.

“It was a strong offer,” GM Joe Douglas told Breer. “We told them, Look, there’s still a lot of boxes left to check. And we just don’t feel comfortable, in case something happens with one of the top two guys, we don’t want to get caught in a bad situation, like one of two guys fails a physical and then we don’t have Sam. So we didn’t do anything.”

Douglas noted that eight teams ultimately inquired on Darnold, with the Panthers offer eventually emerging from the pack.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

49ers, Washington Expressed Interest In Sam Darnold

April 7th, 2021 at 2:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

The 49ers and Washington moved on to other quarterback plans this offseason, but going into free agency, the NFC teams had Sam Darnold on their respective radars.

Said to have received inquiries on Darnold in early February, the Jets indeed spoke to the 49ers about their former top-three pick, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The 49ers are not believed to have discussed this year’s No. 2 overall pick seriously with the Jets, but weeks before they made that seismic trade with the Dolphins, Rapoport notes they did ask what it would take to acquire Darnold.

Washington held conversations on the three-year starter as well, but Rapoport notes the Jets had not reached a consensus on their quarterback path yet. Washington then moved on, signing Ryan Fitzpatrick, who joins the re-signed Taylor Heinicke and Kyle Allen.

San Francisco obviously took a much bigger swing, dealing two future first-rounders for the Dolphins’ No. 3 overall pick this year. This opened the door for the Panthers, who joined both Washington and the 49ers in the Matthew Stafford pursuit. Washington offered its first-round pick and change for Stafford. The Panthers offered their No. 8 overall pick and Teddy Bridgewater to the Lions but had to change course, pivoting to Darnold months later.

Darnold will head to Carolina for his fourth NFL season, while the 49ers have been connected most closely to Mac Jones at No. 3 overall. Jets GM Joe Douglas said the team likely would still be moving forward with Darnold were it not in possession of the No. 2 overall pick, which is expected to be Zach Wilson. Although other quarterback dominoes have moved this offseason, with Stafford and Carson Wentz trades shaking up situations elsewhere, there were a lot of moving parts in the Darnold saga.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Jets GM Joe Douglas On Draft, QBs, Darnold

April 6th, 2021 at 1:45pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Jets made one of the biggest moves of the offseason on Monday, trading Sam Darnold to the Panthers. Rather than shying away from the splashy deal, New York GM Joe Douglas gave a press conference on Tuesday to update the media. At that press conference, he made several interesting revelations. You can read most of those revelations in full courtesy of this Twitter thread from Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.

Perhaps most interestingly, Douglas said that the Jets weren’t looking to move on from Darnold at all costs. In fact, he said if they didn’t have the second overall pick, Darnold would’ve been returning for a fourth year in New York. “Having the No. 2 pick, I think it’s safe to say if our pick was a little bit later we wouldn’t be having this discussion right now. We’d be comfortable moving ahead with Sam,” he explained.

When asked if the team was locked in on taking a quarterback at number two, he didn’t try to obfuscate too much. “I think that’s a fair assessment to say,” he replied. Douglas said the team did consider keeping both Darnold and a rookie on the roster, like Josh McCown and others floated recently, but ultimately decided it wouldn’t have been good for the locker room.

Douglas declined to name a specific quarterback the team is after, although they’re now widely expected to take BYU’s Zach Wilson. He also seemed to indicate that Darnold’s impending price tag (the Panthers will pay him $18.9MM in 2022 by picking up his fifth-year option) was a factor.

“We felt ultimately at the end of the day this was an opportunity to hit the reset button financially, so to speak,” Douglas said. Wilson will be pretty cheap for a handful of years on a rookie deal. While he didn’t explicitly confirm that’s where the team is looking, he may as well have. He was asked about Steve Young recently saying the team was committed to taking Wilson. To that, Douglas replied “Steve’s plugged in to BYU pretty well.”

He also said the team is “very excited” about 2020 fourth-round pick James Morgan, who could potentially backup Wilson. It sounds like the Jets could forego a veteran backup and roll with a very young quarterback room in 2021.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Fallout From Sam Darnold Trade: Panthers, Jets, Rhule, Draft, Bridgewater

April 5th, 2021 at 7:58pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although the Panthers and Jets had discussed a Sam Darnold trade for a bit, the talks centering around a trade that became official Monday heated up last week. Joe Douglas and Scott Fitterer discussed Darnold at Ohio State’s pro day on March 30, Joe Person of The Athletic tweets. Other teams contacted the Jets on Darnold ahead of free agency, but during the time Douglas and Co. methodically evaluating this year’s draft-eligible quarterbacks, some would-be suitors moved on. By late last week, the Panthers were the last team left standing that would trade for Darnold, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes (video link). The Jets sought a package similar to the one the Cardinals received for fellow 2018 top-10 QB Josh Rosen, wanting a second-round pick and another mid-round pick or a player, according to Albert Breer of SI.com. (The Dolphins sent the 2019 No. 62 overall pick to the Cardinals for Rosen.) The Jets also proposed a pick-swap trade that would have sent Darnold and No. 23 to Carolina for No. 8, per Breer. The Panthers shut off that path but agreed to send a 2021 sixth, a 2022 second and a 2022 fourth for the former No. 3 overall pick. The Jets now have nine picks in Rounds 1 and 2 between this draft and next.

Here is more from the latest 2021 QB domino falling Monday:

Douglas pulled the trigger on a trade more than three weeks away from the draft and did so because Jets brass saw considerable downside in waiting for a better offer. The Jets did not want to lose out on the Panthers’ three-pick proposal, according to The Athletic’s Connor Hughes (Twitter links).
Perhaps paying customary lip service, Fitterer said (per Person, on Twitter) Monday the Darnold acquisition will not take the Panthers out of the quarterback mix at No. 8 overall. That pick, however, can now be used to help Darnold and accelerate the team’s rebuild. It could also be used as a trade chip. The quarterback-seeking Broncos hold pick No. 9, and at least one of the top five quarterbacks figures to remain on the board by then. A team keen on grabbing one of these QB prospects would seemingly be interested in jumping in front of Denver, should the Broncos stay at No. 9.
Teddy Bridgewater looks likely to be a one-and-done as a Panther. As a starter, anyway. He could be off to team No. 5 soon. The Panthers will try to collect a mid-round pick for their 2020 starter, Person notes (subscription required). But they have been trying to unload Bridgewater for weeks, Breer adds. Bridgewater is set to carry a $17MM cap number in 2021, and unless a Case Keenum– or Nick Foles-type situation emerges in which Bridgewater agrees to redo his deal to facilitate a trade, the Panthers will have a difficult time unloading that contract.
A virtual Darnold-Matt Rhule conversation played a role in Monday’s trade. When the Jets interviewed Rhule for their HC job in 2019, he spoke with Darnold. Rhule came away impressed with the quarterback, and Rapoport notes that meeting came into play when Rhule approved this trade (video link).