If you had any hopes about QB Sam Darnold becoming a Pittsburgh Steeler this year, those dreams are dashed. He’s being shipped to Carolina, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
As Schefter’s tweet indicates, the Jets are receiving for a 2021 6th round pick this year and 2022 second and fourth round selections.
This all but seems to solidify the idea the Jets will take a QB at #2 overall, presumably BYU’s Zach Wilson.
Some Steelers’ fans thought Darnold could be a landing spot in Pittsburgh, sitting behind Ben Roethlisberger for 2021 and then taking over next season. It wasn’t a crazy idea but would’ve required the Steelers to trade draft capital and pick up his 5th year option for essentially a one-year test run next season. Now, the Panthers will almost certainly exercise his option, now guaranteed, meaning he won’t become a free agent until the 2023 offseason at the earliest.
Currently, the only Steelers’ QB under team control in 2022 is third-stringer Dwayne Haskins. He’ll be a restricted free agent after the season.
