USC in the NFL: Sam Darnold finally released from Jets hell

The Panthers traded with the Jets for Sam Darnold on Monday, giving the former USC quarterback a new lease on life out of the New York cesspool.

Rejoice, USC football fans! Sam Darnold is finally free!

The Panthers traded for the fourth-year quarterback, trading a 2021 sixth-round draft pick and second- and fourth-round picks in 2022 to the Jets, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.

This is awesome news for Darnold, who gets to start fresh with a new team instead of watching the Jets draft a quarterback in the draft and waiting to be replaced as the starter.

Best of all, Carolina's offensive staff is a quarterback's best friend compared to life under Adam Gase, the deposed Jets head coach.

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Just look at Ryan Tannehill, who left Gase's Dolphins and has come to life with the Titans over the last two seasons.

Darnold could do the same. He just won the lottery trading in Gase for Joe Brady.

If you don't remember, Brady was the coach who made Joe Burrow at LSU. He's now the offensive coordinator in Carolina. Head coach Matt Rhule is also offensive-minded and should give his quarterback as many opportunities to succeed as possible.

Christian McCaffrey should be back healthy, which will take the pressure off Darnold's shoulders. The quarterback will also inherit a productive young receiving corps, including 1,000-yard pass-catchers D.J. Moore and Robby Anderson, plus Curtis Samuel.

Sam Darnold is in a great position with the Panthers to prove himself

That's not to say Darnold will definitely succeed with the Panthers. He still needs to prove his worth in a big way. At least he'll have a chance though. He didn't stand one in New York.

Carolina is now committed to Darnold in a way the Jets weren't. They not only traded for him, but they have already exercised his fifth-year option, according to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports.

Now it's time to see what Darnold is really made of. And maybe to start looking into Panthers gear.