Watch: Matt Rhule had cringeworthy response to Sam Darnold question

“(We were) bringing him here to be the starter,” Rhule said. “Knowing that if he had a great year he would be a high-priced guy, and if he’s a starter at that number, that’s low-end starter money. It was a collective decision.”

The thinking made sense at the time. Teams have until early May before a player’s fourth season year to decide whether they want to exercise the fifth-year option. Carolina was obviously optimistic that the Darnold trade would work out, and the Panthers felt the risk of guaranteeing him nearly $19 million in 2022 was worth the potential reward.

Rhule gave Darnold a chance to prove himself over the final three games of the season, and the 24-year-old continued to struggle. It’s hard to imagine the Panthers sticking with Darnold as their starter heading into 2022. If they do, it might not be long before the unflattering chants we heard from Carolina fans start back up.