The Sam Darnold era in New York has come to an end.
With the NFL Draft just weeks away from kicking off, the Carolina Panthers have acquired the former first-round quarterback from the Jets in exchange for a 2021 sixth-round pick along with a second-and-fourth-round selection in 2022.
Darnold's future with the Jets was in doubt once New York slotted themselves into the Number 2 overall pick at the 2021 NFL Draft. There, they are positioned to select one of the top quarterback prospects that make up a rather deep class at the position. This deal that now sends Darnold to the Panthers all but confirms that the organization will be going with a quarterback at that top spot.
The 23-year-old had been with the Jets since 2018 when he was taken Number 3 overall out of USC. While Darnold has displayed potential throughout his three-year tenure with the club, it rarely translated to wins with the quarterback owning a 13-25 record as a starter. Of course, the lack of wins while in New York is not solely on Darnold's shoulders as the team dealt with a number of coaching changes and lack of talent across the rest of the roster for the young quarterback to truly help turn New York into a yearly contender.
He gets a clean slate in Carolina and a far better head coach as well as the best running back in the game in Christian McCaffrey.
Source: CBS Sports