Training camp is two months away and there’s already a quarterback controversy–sort of. Incumbent Carolina Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold has yet to contact or reach out to rookie Matt Corral.
When asked during rookie minicamp of he’d spoken with Darnold the Panthers’ third round pick said, “not yet, not yet.”
It may sound callous, but this is understandable. Darnold is in the final year of his contract. He feels as if he has much to prove, either to the Panthers or to another potential team. Darnold can’t do that while holding a clipboard. It wouldn’t be in his best interest to help a drafted QB or any teammate who can take the starting job.
The irony here in this situation is Matt Corral could probably upstage Darnold with or without his help. The opportunity is there for Corral. If he keeps that chip on his shoulder and has the right mentality, it’s a wrap. Corral is the starter.
If Darnold is really confident in his skills, like he seemed to be on a podcast a couple of months ago, he shouldn’t feel so threatened by a rookie. Darnold should be so solid in his position that helping a teammate – a fellow QB – isn’t a big deal, but he isn’t, so it is.