In just his second season at the helm, Matt Rhule has helped transform the Carolina Panthers' defense into one of the best units in the entire NFL. However, the struggles on the offensive side of the ball, particularly at quarterback, have held this team back from being a legitimate contender in not only the NFC South but the NFC as a whole.
Starting quarterback Sam Darnold started the season with three touchdowns and one interception while leading the Panthers to a 3-0 record. In the six games since, Darnold has thrown just four touchdown passes and ten interceptions. His inability to move the ball has already led to one benching (against New York) and also had the Panthers at the center of Deshaun Watson rumors at the trade deadline a couple of weeks back.
In Sunday's loss to New England, Darnold threw three interceptions and also came away from the game with a fractured scapula that will sideline him for 4-6 weeks according to head coach Matt Rhule. Prior to Darnold's injury, the Panthers' fanbase has been lobbying for the team to bring back former face of the franchise, Cam Newton. Now that P.J. Walker is assuming the starting role, the team could be on the brink of seeing its season go to the wayside.
Earlier this week, former Panthers safety Tre Boston hopped on the "bring back Newton" train tweeting that Cam would give them a chance to win every Sunday.
After being released by the Panthers in 2020, Newton signed a one-year deal with the New England Patriots. In 15 starts with the Pats, Newton had a 7-8 record as the team's starter and tossed for 2,657 yards, eight touchdowns, and ten interceptions. Although the numbers weren't great, he did complete passes at a 66% clip - the 2nd highest percentage of his career.
The Panthers did add a quarterback this week but it wasn't a popular signing among the fans. Matt Barkley was brought in to bring a veteran presence in the quarterback room and to also serve as P.J. Walker's backup.
When asked if the team would have any interest in signing Newton, Matt Rhule said, "I don't want to get into any hypotheticals."
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