Getty Former New York Jets GM Mike Maccagnan speaking with legendary QB Joe Namath.
On Monday, December 5 the Carolina Panthers surprisingly released former No. 1 overall pick, Baker Mayfield.
We later discovered that the quarterback requested his release once he found out he wasn’t going to be the starter or the primary backup moving forward.
Ex-Jets Quarterback Sam Darnold Is Clear-Cut QB1 for Panthers
With Mayfield out of the picture, the keys of the franchise have once again been handed to former New York Jets quarterback Sam Darnold.
The former USC passer got his first start of the season back on November 27 versus the Denver Broncos. Darnold led the team to a 23-10 victory and somehow someway in the process kept the 4-8 Panthers in the thick of the playoff race.
Currently, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lead (using that term very loosely) the NFC South with a 6-6 record. Atlanta is right behind with a 5-8 record, followed by the Panthers at 4-8, and the New Orleans Saints round out the group at 4-9 after blowing an opportunity on Monday Night Football.
The Panthers have a 3-1 mark inside the division which is tied for the best record with Tampa and will have a chance to make some noise down the stretch.
Although even more important is Darnold’s chance to maintain his QB1 status for Carolina heading into the future or for one of the other 31 NFL teams out there.
Darnold is playing on the fifth-year option on his rookie contract and is set to be an unrestricted free agent this offseason. The only other quarterback on the Panthers roster is PJ Walker, a former undrafted free agent out of Temple.
In 13 appearances with the Panthers, Darnold has put up solid production:
- 16 total touchdowns
- 13 interceptions
- 2,691 passing yards
- 59.8% completion percentage
A Matchup of Former Jets Quarterbacks in Week 14
They say timing is everything in life and it sure sets up that way in Week 14.
On Sunday, December 11 the Panthers will travel to Seattle to play the Seahawks. That means we’ll see Darnold play against another former Jets quarterback Geno Smith.
Both quarterbacks at one time or another were considered saviors for the Jets franchise and now they will face each other.
Darnold is playing for a chance to extend his career beyond the backup trajectory that it is currently on. While Smith is battling for much higher stakes at this point in the season.
The Seahawks have a chance at the NFC West title and the home playoff game that comes with it. Additionally, with how well Smith has played this season he is set to command a large amount of money in unrestricted free agency this offseason:
- Has thrown for over 300 passing yards four times
- 72.7% completion percentage
- 22 touchdowns to just 6 interceptions
- 3,169 passing yards
On top of his individual success, the Seahawks are just a game back in the division with a 7-5 record.
It has been a remarkable journey for Smith who at one time was the laughing stock of the league after getting his jaw broken in a locker room incident to biding his time for seven years as a backup to getting this opportunity in Seattle.