Can Panthers Rookie QB Matt Corral Start?
Panthers rookie QB Matt Corral has been impressing with his instincts in OTA’s. But according to ESPN’s David Newton, he believes that there will be around a five percent chance that the Panthers rookie QB starts week 1 against the Cleveland Browns.
Additionally Panthers receiver DJ Moore also recently told NFL’s Rich Eisen that he could see Panthers starter Sam Darnold grow in the offseason. Moore stated “I could see a growth in him, already, from OTA’s,”. This is despite the rumors about the Panthers acquiring other veteran QBs Baker Mayfield or Jimmy Garoppolo.
While David Newton believes rookie Matt Corral has little to no chance to start week one, he also believes that Corral has a zero percent chance of having a redshirt season. Newton actually predicts that Corral will start on week six against the reigning champs LA Rams.
Learning a Pro-style system
OTA’s is one thing and training camp is another, and with training camp around the corner, I will be anxious to see if Corral can push Darnold for playing time as we inch towards September. All indications point to Corral being Ben McAdoo’s guy, and the only thing keeping him off the field will be his ability to grasp an NFL offense. Panthers head coach Matt Rhule told Joe Person of theAthletic.com that when it comes to Corral “[t]here’s no, ‘[h]ey, you’re sitting a year,’ or [h]ey, you’re playing the first game.’ There’s [y]our job’s to get ready and the opportunity will come when it comes, and you have to be ready for it.”
There is no forcing it from Corral either when it comes to learning the Panthers pro style system and he will compete when he knows it. Corral humbly stated after OTA’s “[w]hen I know it, I’ll be ready to compete, whenever coach Mac feels I’m ready, then I’m ready.”