Panthers OC Joe Brady: QB Sam Darnold 'growing from' experiences, mistakes

The Carolina Panthers knew what they were getting when they traded for New York Jets quarterback Sam Darnold in early April. They acquired a prospect under 25 years old who was once deemed to be worth the third overall pick of an NFL Draft but who, per ESPN stats, finished the 2020 season dead last among eligible players with a 72.7 passer rating and a 40.1 total QBR. 

Carolina offensive coordinator Joe Brady admitted his new signal-caller hasn't been perfect during spring workouts but also said he's already impressed with Darnold's ability to put miscues out of mind before they become habits.

"What I love is if he makes a mistake one day, the next day he doesn’t make the mistake again, so he’s growing from his experiences," Brady explained, according to David Newton of ESPN. 

Brady added: "It’s not like you’re getting a guy that’s brand new. You’re getting a veteran, a guy that just so happens to be young. That was extremely enticing to us." 

In late April, the Panthers picked up the fifth-year option attached to Darnold's contract, a decision that guaranteed him $18.858 million for the 2022 campaign. All involved hope that's a wise investment ahead of Darnold eventually signing a long-term deal with the club.