The past two seasons for the Carolina Panthers and Matt Rhule have been rocky.
As head coach in Carolina, he only mustered together ten wins in two years.
Some NFL head coaches are fired after back-to-back disastrous seasons.
However, the Panthers seem content with keeping Rhule.
They seem to give him a free pass, even though his record isn’t good.
But that pass might mean the team is setting him up to fail.
Rhule’s Assistants Might Hurt Players’ Faith In Him
Something that got people talking about the Panthers was offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo, saying Sam Darnold was the starting quarterback.
Sam Darnold was deemed the starting quarterback for the Panthers for approximately 2 mins
(via @NFLonCBS)
pic.twitter.com/RxS1L3Nhd3— Pickswise (@Pickswise) April 19, 2022
However, he was quick to backtrack on his statement.
Rhule and his players could face a roadblock from these actions.
They may second guess what he tells them.
These actions by McAdoo could hurt any relationship Rhule built with Darnold.
It also could put his leadership with the team into question.
This could cause failure for him in Carolina.
However, there are things the Panthers have done to help Rhule for 2022.
Panthers Used Free Agency To Fill Some Holes
Not everything is a dark cloud for Rhule and the Panthers.
The team signed several players to help fill in holes on offense and defense.
Xavier Woods, Damien Wilson and Cory Littleton look to help the defensive side of the Panthers team.
Austin Corbett, Bradley Bozeman, and D’Onta Foreman round out the offensive signings.
With these signings, Carolina looks to improve some of their weak points from 2021.
However, they need more than just these players if they want a successful 2022.
They need an elite quarterback to get them over the hump.
Panthers Try To Trade For Deshaun Watson But Failed
There was an attempt to help Rhule and Carolina at quarterback during the offseason.
However, their attempts to trade for Deshaun Watson fell short.
Those failed talks now leave the Panthers with Darnold quarterbacking the team for 2022.
But that could change with the 2022 NFL Draft, where Carolina could draft a quarterback.
The #Panthers are gearing up for their No. 6 overall pick hosting.
Visitors include UNC QB Sam Howell, NC State OL Ickey Ekwonu, and Miss State OL Charles Cross, per @RapSheet. pic.twitter.com/02in0ONEV2
— PFF Draft (@PFF_College) April 18, 2022
They hold the sixth overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
The Panthers are clearly looking to upgrade from Darnold, and they could use their pick on a quarterback.
However, doing that might not be the smartest move for a team needing to address other areas of their roster.
Having a rookie quarterback starting would most likely have Rhule ending his season with Carolina on another losing note.
Are Rhule’s Days In Carolina Numbered?
Things could go south fast for Rhule in Carolina.
However, it depends on who the team drafts this year.
While Darnold wasn’t the team’s first choice at quarterback, he gives them a chance against some division rivals.
The Falcons are without Matt Ryan and the Saints are missing some key players from their 2021 roster.
The biggest obstacle for Rhule in 2022 will be Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
But if he gets a rookie quarterback starting in 2022, their chances could go down against the Falcons and Saints.
If that happens, his days are numbered, and he’d be set up by Carolina for failure.
NEXT: Panthers Continue To Be In Complete Disarray Under Matt Rhule