Is Baker Mayfield a good fit? 5 things Panthers fans should know about their new QB
The Panthers announced early Wednesday afternoon that the team acquired former No. 1 overall pick and Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield from the Cleveland Browns. Mayfield is expected to immediately compete for the starting job with his 2018 draft mate and No. 3 overall pick Sam Darnold, who led the Panthers to a 5-12 record last season.
Here are five things Panthers fans should know about the new addition:
The Panthers got Baker Mayfield for cheap
The only concession Carolina made in the trade is a 2024 conditional fifth-round draft pick. If Mayfield can return to the form that saw him throw a rookie-record 27 touchdowns in 2018 and lead Cleveland two seasons ago to its first playoff win since 1994, the value — a fifth-round pick for a reliable starting quarterback — could be a boon to a Panthers squad seeking consistent quarterback play.
Baker Mayfield’s struggles and injury status
Mayfield is coming off a disappointing season. In a lackluster 8-9 year, he posted a pair of career-lows with 17 touchdowns and a 35.3 QBR alongside 13 interceptions. However, last season’s struggles were in part due to Mayfield playing through an injured left shoulder that nagged him from the Browns’ Week 2 win against the Houston Texas throughout the rest of the year.
The Browns confirmed Mayfield underwent a successful surgery to repair a torn left labrum in January and was expected to clear checks to participate in offseason activities. If Mayfield is fully recovered, he could deliver on the promise he flashed in Cleveland.
Ben McAdoo’s past opinion
While Mayfield and Panthers offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo have never worked closely, McAdoo was not impressed with Mayfield’s on-field performance coming out of Oklahoma.
“I didn’t see a lot of pro-style football in his college tape,” McAdoo told the New York Post in 2018. “If you’re short, you have to be able to make up for it some way, somehow, and personality doesn’t do that. I didn’t think he was a great athlete. This guy is kind of like a pocket quarterback that is short and with small hands, that’s what I worry about.’’
The Panthers will have to hope Mayfield can overcome McAdoo’s initial concerns in the offensive coordinator’s system.
Competitive Edge
Mayfield’s journey to No. 1 overall pick began without a high-profile college football offer before he broke into the starting lineup as Texas Tech’s quarterback in the 2013 season as a true freshman walk-on. When Tech failed to offer him a scholarship at season’s end, he transferred to Oklahoma and beat out Trevor Knight to start the 2015 season.
Competition is nothing new to Mayfield, and the joust between Darnold and Mayfield for the starting spot should be interesting to watch.
How Baker Mayfield fits with the Panthers
Mayfield came into his own under Oklahoma’s offensive guru Lincoln Riley thanks to a quick-tempo, shotgun-heavy offense. While McAdoo’s resume includes improving a struggling New York Giants passing game from 28th in the league in 2013 to 7th and 8th in the next two seasons, respectively, it remains to be seen how McAdoo — having worked with quarterbacks from the mobile, improvisational Aaron Rodgers to traditional pocket passer Eli Manning — might bend his scheme around Mayfield’s strengths, should he get the starting nod.
This story was originally published July 6, 2022 at 3:59 PM.
