The Carolina Panthers made a bold trade to get Sam Darnold from the New York Jets in 2021.
After the first three games of the 2021 season, it appeared the Panthers won the trade deal.
However, the young quarterback would struggle, and get injured, after the team lost Christian McCaffrey in Week 3.
Ever since his slow decline in Carolina, the team has looked to replace him.
They brought back Cam Newton for a short time with Darnold out, only to see him fail in every start.
Now they have Matt Corral, a rookie quarterback from the draft who could replace Darnold in Carolina one day.
From our NFL Draft coverage: The #Panthers traded back into the third round and took #OleMiss QB Matt Corral. They viewed his film as the best of all the QBs. But there was a lot more to sort through. pic.twitter.com/GfJdA3z3Zg
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 30, 2022
However, he still can resurrect his NFL career.
Darnold Needs That Aaron Rodgers Magic To Start His Resurrection
One other quarterback knows what it feels like to have their team use a draft pick on a quarterback.
That player is Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers.
He saw the Packers trade up in the 2020 draft to select quarterback Jordan Love.
However, the MVP quarterback took offense to the move.
But that move was fuel for his back-to-back MVP runs in the NFL.
Darnold could use some magic like that in Carolina.
However, he doesn’t have the offensive talent Rodgers was afforded during his two-time MVP run.
But, if he digs deep inside, he could show he’s better than Corral or Baker Mayfield.
His stats aren’t that far off from Mayfield’s on a per-game basis.
If his line can protect him, and his running back can stay healthy, he could show signs of life in Carolina.
A New Team Could Be Another Way For Him To Resurrect His Career
Some Panthers fans have no faith in Darnold and would rather see him gone.
Trade Sam Darnold for a box of Twinkie’s. @Hostess_Snacks would you take the trade please? #keeppounding
— Biff Clutterbuck (@Rhuleneedstogo) May 12, 2022
When you look at the surrounding talent in Carolina, that could be his problem.
While they have a great running back, his injury history keeps him off the field.
They also lack multiple top-tier receivers on the roster.
However, they have D.J. Moore, their only 1,000+ yard receiver.
If Darnold wants to resurrect his career, a team with a better core of receivers could help him.
When he had McCaffrey, he had an outlet player to drop quick passes to in games.
After losing him, his play suffered.
Without all the surrounding pieces he needs, there can be no resurrection of his career.
A new team might be his best bet.
Would Any Team Really Want Darnold?
If teams want Mayfield, they should want Darnold when you compare the two.
However, most teams aren’t looking for Darnold as their starting quarterback because of his time in Carolina and New York.
Those two teams never gave him a consistent roster of star players around him.
His play suffered in part from that lack of talent.
He has shown a glimpse of success before in games.
While he might not start in the NFL, he could re-work his way up the ladder.
Until he can prove himself in 2022, the resurrection of his career might be put on hold.
NEXT: NFL Analyst Shares A Harsh Reality For Panthers Fans