Opinion: Can Sam Darnold Wreck the Jets’ Zach Wilson Party in Week 1 of the 2021 NFL Season?

Rarely can a stage be set as perfectly as it is for Sam Darnold to make the New York Jets regret their decision to let them go. With the Carolina Panthers taking on the Jets in week 1 of the 2021 NFL season, Darnold will surely have revenge on his mind.

The QB was drafted by the Jets franchise amidst much fanfare back in 2018. But after three shaky seasons, the franchise decided to go a different path.

With a new head coach-rookie QB duo in Robert Saleh and Zach Wilson, the Jets will look to start off afresh. But could Darnold play spoilsport in the Jets’ first step towards redemption?

Sam Darnold will be eager to make a mark

Darnold was traded to the Carolina Panthers for a 2021 sixth-round pick and second and fourth-round selections in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Trading Darnold paved the way for the Jets to draft BYU quarterback Zach Wilson with #2 overall pick. But Wilson, who is touted as the man to help turn the franchise’s fortunes around will face a tough first test in the NFL.

READ MORE –Watch Enthusiast Tom Brady Compares NFL Teams to Classic Timepieces

For Darnold, this is personal. The quarterback after making the trade said that it bothered him how the Jets made him feel “unwanted.”

While the Jets are in rebuild, the Panthers definitely have a few weapons to help Darnold get a win over his former side. While at the Big Apple one could forgive Darnold for his blemishes given the lack of support available to him on offense.

But at Carolina, Darnold will have one of the game’s best running back in Christian McCaffery. And even apart from that, the Panthers have been making sure that Darnold is stacked with options come 2021.

After selecting cornerback Jaycee Horn with the 8th overall pick, the Panthers draft four consecutive offensive players. Wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr, offensive tackle Brady Christensen, tight end Tommy Tremble and running back Chuba Hubbard.

READ MORE – ‘Has That Little Bit More Swagger’ – Vikings’ Justin Jefferson Compares Kirk Cousins and Joe Burrow

But most importantly, the Panthers have faith in their new QB. Something that wasn’t quite the case back in New York. Eager to make the Jets regret their decision to let him go, do you think Sam Darnold can get a win over his former side in week 1 of the 2021 season?

The post Opinion: Can Sam Darnold Wreck the Jets’ Zach Wilson Party in Week 1 of the 2021 NFL Season? appeared first on EssentiallySports.