raleigh-panther

most pertinent comment pulled forward Quote. After practice, Rhule said he does not anticipate naming starters at “any position” or forming a depth chart until after the team’s second preseason game at the earliest. Baker Mayfield vs. Sam Darnold, Day 9: When will Panthers coach Matt Rhule name a starter? BY ELLIS L. WILLIAMS [email protected] 1 hour ago Carolina Panthers coach Matt Rhule is in no rush to name a starting quarterback. Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold are in an open competition at Panthers training camp, which continued on Saturday in Spartanburg, South Carolina, at Wofford College. Day 9 of camp featured a two-hour scrimmage, where Mayfield and Darnold alternated working with both the first- and second-team offenses. Through two weeks of camp, Mayfield has outplayed Darnold by generating more explosive plays through the air. His 40-plus yard touchdowns to Robbie Anderson and Rashard Higgins are camp highlights. But Darnold is keeping things close by quickly distributing the ball to tight ends and running backs while occasionally hitting some intermediate throws. After practice, Rhule said he does not anticipate naming starters at “any position” or forming a depth chart until after the team’s second preseason game at the earliest. Carolina travels to New England for joint practices with the Patriots on Aug. 16 in advance of their Saturday night (Aug. 19) preseason game. “The Patriots week is like a true litmus test for us. That’ll really show us where guys are. So we’ll continue to split the reps. And then we’ll make some evaluations off of today’s tape. We’ll make some evaluations after training camp in Wofford ends on Wednesday. And then probably after the game and the Patriots,” Rhule said. “Quarterback to me, as we’ve said all along, it’s when we know, we know, and we’re not going to rush it.” Carolina is off Sunday then back in Spartanburg on Monday until camp breaks on Wednesday. Fan Fest is Thursday at Bank of America Stadium. Mayfield and Darnold both had efficient practices on Saturday. The team made practice as game-like as possible by starting drives with a kick-off return and allowing the offense to drive down the field against the defense. The chain gang and referees had a busy morning. Mayfield and Higgins made the play of practice. During Mayfield’s third series, he connected with “Hollywood” Higgins on a 45-yard touchdown. Higgins altered his path when a Panthers cornerback sat on his route. Rather than occupy covered space, Higgins broke his route deep. Mayfield noticed and let a bomb fly that hit Higgins in stride for a walk-in touchdown. Higgins extended the ball across the goal line and then debuted his signature red-carpet celebration while teammates celebrated around him. Mayfield ran into the end zone to snap pictures of his former Browns teammate with his imaginary camera. However, the fun was short-lived. Rhule immediately stopped practice and chewed out his players about a premature celebration. After his 50-second address, He made the offense run a sideline-to-sideline sprint. “We’re not a team that reaches the ball across the goal line. I told the guys, ‘Hey, after you score a touchdown, celebrate and have fun today.’ I just wanted to make sure they all understood that we won’t win if we don’t protect the football,” Rhule said. “I wanted the defense to understand we can’t give up explosives and offense to understand we don’t celebrate till after the play’s over.” Mayfield made the play of the practice but was it enough for him to win the day? Let’s dive deeper into their performances. Baker Mayfield Stats (unofficial): 15 for 22, TD, INT The real winners of Saturday’s scrimmage were the Panthers’ offensive line and running backs Christian McCaffrey, D’Onta Foreman and Chuba Hubbard. Carolina’s offense ran effectively on the defense by utilizing a variety of gap runs and power schemes. All three running backs scored a least one touchdown. Hubbard scored twice, once on a Mayfield drive and the other with Sam Darnold. On Hubbard’s first score, rookie tackle Ikem Ekwonu made a key led block as Hubbard housed a power outside run off left tackle. Mayfield completed 1-of-2 passes on the touchdown drive. Carolina started near mid-field and scored on the seven-play drive that included five runs and a screen pass. Mayfield came alive later in practice. On his third drive he completed five straight passes, capped with his deep touchdown to Higgins. On the previous drive, Mayfield threw an interception to Myles Hartsfield on a deep-in route intended for DJ Moore. The pass may have been slightly behind Moore but it reached both his hands. Hartsfield simply outmuscled Moore, ripping the ball away from him to complete the interception. Best throw: Mayfield-to-Higgins keeps gaining momentum as the duo is building off their Cleveland chemistry. Ten of Higgins’ 12 career touchdown receptions are from Mayfield. Only tight end David Njoku (11) and Jarvis Landry (14) have caught more Mayfield touchdowns. Any Browns fan could detail the duos’ innate on-field connection. In 2019 during a regular-season game against Buffalo, Higgins caught the game-winning touchdown pass from Mayfield as time expired. It was one of the few snaps — and only target — Higgins earned all game. Notable mistake: Mayfield threw another interception as detailed above. He’s had more days with a turnover than not. Sam Darnold Stats (unofficial): 19 for 28, TD, INT Darnold opened practice on fire. After Mayfield started with the first team and took seven plays to score, Darnold threw a touchdown on his first throw. From the 25-yard line, Darnold threw a play-action touchdown to fullback Giovanni Ricci. Ricci started near the line of scrimmage, faked an upfield block and took off for the corner pylon. Darnold dropped a pass right into his outstretched arms for a quick six points. On the next drive, he connected with Higgins twice and slot receiver Shi Smith. The drive ended with a short Zane Gonzalez field goal. But Darnold threw an unnecessary interception the drive following Mayfield’s turnover. The interception came while Darnold was rolling right to escape pressure and extended the play. Darnold tried squeezing a sideline throw to undrafted free agent Ra’Shaun Henry, but newly signed cornerback Tay Hayes stepped in front of the pass and picked it off. Best throw: Darnold started practice with a touchdown dime throw to Ricci but did not build off that momentum. Notable mistake: Darnold threw another avoidable interception. It was his most egregious turnover of camp yet. Who won the day? Mayfield won the practice but once again it was close. Eventually, either Mayfield or Darnold could create serious separation by stringing together a couple of turnover-free practices. “The disappointing thing is that we had two interceptions. Each guy had an interception. We’ve got to protect the football,” Rhule said. “But I did see some good things. Both guys had explosive plays. So we’ll really dig into the tape and see who’s truly mastering the offense and who’s not. There’s a lot of work to be done on the next few days by us coaches.

I pulled this last statement from today’s write up to the top as it seems pertinent quote. Saturday’s practice is expected to feature a lot of scrimmaging. It’ll be the most important practice of the week for both quarterbacks. Baker Mayfield vs. Sam Darnold, Day 8: Tracking Panthers quarterbacks at training camp BY ELLIS L. WILLIAMS [email protected] 2 hours ago The quarterback competition between Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield continued on Day 8 of Panthers training camp. Carolina went through a lower-intensity practice following their walk-thru on Thursday. Darnold and Mayfield are still evenly splitting first-team reps. Darnold made the most of his opportunities by throwing two touchdowns and just one incompletion on 14 throws. Some of Darnold’s completions came when it appeared the secondary was easing up its coverage, allowing multiple deep-in-breaking routes to DJ Moore and Robbie Anderson. But during a competitive 11-on-11 red-zone session, Darnold went 3-for-3 and threw two touchdowns. Mayfield was not as sharp as he’s been but still had a decent practice. Even his average days produce more explosive plays than a typical Darnold check-down routine. But on Friday, Darnold discarded his check-down habits and had his best camp practice yet. Let’s dive deeper into their performances. Baker Mayfield Stats (unofficial): 7 for 13, TD Coming off three of his best practices, Mayfield had a steady day throwing to a mix of first- and second-team targets. He completed passes to four different receivers, including a red-zone touchdown to receiver Brandon Zylstra on a delayed deep post. Shi Smith and Tommy Tremble each dropped passes from Mayfield that would’ve gone for big gains. Mayfield probably put too much heat on the short pass intended for Smith. Tremble’s drop came via a deep seam route, which Mayfield placed perfectly. The team did not practice with much tempo. There were no two-minute drills or no-huddle situations. So far during camp, Mayfield has played noticeably better when the reps reflect game situations. Best throw: After Tremble dropped a seam route, Mayfield went back to the same play, but this time targeted tight end Colin Thompson down the left hash. Thompson was not open. Yet somehow Mayfield threaded a ball through a defender’s earhole and into Thompson’s chest plate as he strolled into the red zone. The pass elicited a collective gasp from onlooking Panthers fans. Notable mistake: Mayfield took a costly sack during a seven-on-seven session early in practice. He held the ball for more than three seconds, escaped right and chucked a ball that fell incomplete. Through the play was not whistled dead, Mayfield likely would’ve been sacked in a game for holding the ball too long. Sam Darnold Stats (unofficial): 13 for 14, 2 TD Sam Darold threw just one incompletion during competitive seven-on-seven and 11-on-11 team sessions. Darnold played mistake-free football on Friday. Of his 14 pass attempts, two went for touchdowns as he demonstrated a more expansive command of the offense. His most sharp moments came in the red zone where he went 3-for-3 with two touchdowns. He opened practice completing seven of his first eight throws, including gains of 12 yards or more to Moore, Anderson and Rashard Higgins. Darnold practiced with urgency and did not settle for his usual check-down throws. Best throw: During a red-zone session, Darnold threw a touchdown to slot receiver C.J. Saunders, who opened up late as the No. 2 option. Initially, Darnold looked for Anderson, who ran a fade-comeback against lengthy cornerback Chris Westry. Darnold locked onto Anderson for about one second before his eyes jumped to his second read Saunders streaked across the back line of the end zone from left to right. Darnold delivered a dart high and into Saunders’s diving left shoulder. He held on for the score, celebrated with Darnold and let out an emphatic roar toward the fans. Notable mistake: Like Mayfield, Darnold also took a poor sack during a seven-on-seven rep. He held the ball when no targets opened. Darnold tried escaping upfield, but edge rusher Franki Luvu immediately met him in the backfield. Who won the day? Darnold did more with his red-zone opportunities than Mayfield did. On his first touchdown, he took advantage of a clean pocket to deliver a strike to a deep crossing Zylstra. Though both quarterbacks have each won three days of practice, Mayfield has collectively outperformed Darnold through eight practices. Even when Mayfield has an average practice, he still makes a notable play or two. Meanwhile, there have been multiple practices where it’s difficult to recall a completed Darnold pass. Saturday’s practice is expected to feature a lot of scrimmaging. It’ll be the most important practice of the week for both quarterbacks.

And I’ll be there and record it to share here. It will be ugly If they introduce defense first, then I’ll know it’s Darnold That avoids setting the table if the offense is introduced first, then it’s Baker

Ok. I laughed out loud good one

Agree i will always hope the team does well. I will never be a fan of Rhule He has every quality I dislike in a person. That said, hopefully the NFL coaches around him help make this season viable as for Tepper, I see he managed to show up for a practice yesterday, barely acknowledging the fans there. My, what a change from his first two years just think, Watson could be in the Panthers sideline had Tepper had his way Class, isn’t Tepper’s string suit Whether we care for them or not doesn’t matter. In the nfl, winning is all that matters

Not in this case. There are 4 years of tape to explain why

Relax Rhule has a ‘7 year plan’ remember

Baker Mayfield vs. Sam Darnold, Day 7: Tracking Panthers quarterbacks at training camp BY ELLIS WILLIAMS [email protected] 1 hour ago Panthers coach Matt Rhule has been following a structured plan for his quarterbacks. Each week starts with Sam Darnold working with the first team while Baker Mayfield takes the twos. The next day, Rhule flips the quarterbacks. Then Darnold and Mayfield share first-team reps as the week ends. On Wednesday, Mayfield and Sam Darnold shared first-team responsibilities during a scrimmage-centric practice. Each squandered their multiple scoring opportunities on Day 7 of Panthers camp. Neither quarterback accomplished much. Mayfield threw the day’s only touchdown, a short goal-line fade to Terrace Marshall during a red-zone session. The rest of practice featured a lot of short passes, running attempts, field-goal tries and punts. Credit the Panthers defense for winning the practice. Let’s dive deeper into their performances. Baker Mayfield Stats (unofficial): 9 for 14, TD The Panthers spent most of their practice working scrimmage situations. Mayfield earned two drives, both starting on the 25-yard line, where the offense needed to convert first downs to continue. His second drive was a two-minute drill. The two-minute series ended with a made Zane Gonzalez field goal from about 40 yards. Mayfield completed three passes on a five-play drive that ended after a short completion to running back Chuba Hubbard forced him to use his only time out before Gonzalez’s kick Mayfield’s first completion went for about 20 yards to DJ Moore. Moore probably would’ve been knocked out by safety Xavier Woods in a real game as Mayfield threw Moore into traffic on a deep in route, but the catch counted. Next, Mayfield connected with Rashard Higgins via a 15-yard out, which stopped the clock. Mayfield quarterbacked with a sense of urgency and nearly kept his momentum going on the next play. He threw a high-and-away ball to slot receiver C.J. Saunders, who took too long at the line of scrimmage and was not where Mayfield wanted him to be when he threw it. Mayfield and Saunders talked briefly after the play. With only 15 seconds left, Mayfield completed a check down to Hubbard but wasted too much time trying to set up a spike and instead called a time out with three seconds left. Mayfield’s first series was uneventful. It lasted only five plays and ended with an incomplete pass intended for Shi Smith. Mayfield threw the team’s only touchdown of practice during an early full-team, red-zone session. Best throw: Mayfield’s touchdown pass to Marshall was textbook. He recognized a favorable matchup at the line of scrimmage and took it. Marshall made a clean release, stacked his defender and tracked Mayfield’s high ball. He completed an over-the-shoulder grab, knocked over the right-back pylon with both feet and celebrated with a griddy after the touchdown was confirmed. Notable mistake: Mayfield had a clean practice and did not throw an interception for the first time in two days. Sam Darnold Stats (unofficial): 7 for 12 Darnold had a practice any Panthers quarterback could have had. He did nothing wrong. He did not toss an interception or fumble the ball for the first time this week, but none of his throws threatened the defense. His final drive lasted seven plays, but he only threw three passes. There were a few plays where Darnold exhibited he’s a more natural runner than Mayfield. Darnold is starting to take off with more decisiveness. He picked up two first downs doing so. But when the offense needed a first down, Darnold went 1 for 3 on gotta-have-it throws. Best throw: Darnold helped the offense draw a pass interference during his first team session. The vertical shot was intended for Smith. Cornerback Chris Westry was in coverage and was flagged. By pushing the ball downfield and giving his target a chance, Darnold prolonged a drive that eventually ended with no points. Notable mistake: Like Mayfield, Darnold had a clean but melancholy day. Who won the day? Neither quarterback won the day. Both protected the ball well but neither made enough plays to challenge the Panthers’ defense. Total wins this preseason Baker Mayfield 3 Sam Darnold 2 P.J. Walker/Matt Corral 1

I love Corral my choice for the Panthers back in early feb taking a year to learn and acclimate worked for many QBs. injuries do happen He may yet get a chance or earn a chance.

Mayfield vs. Sam Darnold, Day 6: Tracking Panthers quarterbacks at training camp BY ELLIS WILLIAMS [email protected] 4 hours ago For the first time at Panthers training camp, one of the quarterbacks had consecutive winning practices. Baker Mayfield again outperformed teammate Sam Darnold while working extensively with the first team on Tuesday. Mayfield made the throw of camp thus far (a title previous held by a Day 3 Darnold to Terrace Marshall completion) by hitting Robbie Anderson on a deep 50-yard post route during an 11-on-11 session. Coach Matt Rhule said he’s encouraged with how both quarterbacks are playing. The team has installed about 70% of offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo’s playbook. Rhule said he hopes to have nearly everything in by week’s end. For the rest of the week, Mayfield and Darnold will evenly split reps with the first team just as they did last week. Day 6 of camp belonged to Mayfield, though he still made a costly mistake. Let’s dive deeper into their performances. Baker Mayfield Stats (unofficial): 13 for 24, 2 TD, INT Mayfield had his best practice with the Panthers on Monday, the first day in pads. He worked mostly with the second team, which made Tuesday’s practice vital as it was his turn to work with the ones. At Panthers camp, the ones consistently face the first-team defense and the twos get the second-team defense. Mayfield looked sharp playing against projected backups but how would he throw against C.J. Henderson, Donte Jackson and Jeremy Chinn? Mayfield responded by demonstrating early command of the offense. He hit tight end Stephen Sullivan during an opening seven-on-seven segment by threading a ball over two Panthers linebackers and into the back of the end zone where Sullivan toe-tapped the back line. He showed a continued understanding of McAdoo’s offensive principles. McAdoo expects his quarterbacks to throw quickly, distributing the ball to playmakers rather than holding it. Multiple times Mayfield delivered quick strikes to Christen McCaffrey, DJ Moore and C.J. Saunders. He’s playing on time by letting it rip and trusting his eyes. Best throw: Mayfield and Anderson finally connected for a touchdown pass. It was an electric moment. McAdoo called an inside run fake and Anderson ran a deep post from left to right. As Mayfield dropped back, he stood in a clean pocket, drove off his right foot and delivered a moon-shot toward Anderson. By splitting the corner and high safety, Anderson tracked the ball, fell under it and made the catch while rolling into the end zone. Fans cheered and Anderson threw up both hands in celebration. Notable mistake: Mayfield was having an excellent day until the closing 2-minute drill. Carolina started on its own 25-yard line and needed points. Instead, Mayfield threw an interception to linebacker Frankie Luvu just four plays in. The pass was intended for an in-breaking Marshall, but Luvu was playing drop coverage. Rather than rush the passer, Luvu sank into Mayfield’s passing lane and easily intercepted the ball. Sam Darnold Stats (unofficial): 17 for 26, 2 TD, INT Darnold began practice by completing nine of his first 11 throws. He drilled a deep in route to Marshall during seven-on-seven. He picked up another first down the next play by throwing to an open undrafted free agent Ra’Shaun Henry on a deep out. He was en route to an efficient day competing against the second defense just as Mayfield did the day prior. But then he threw a unnecessary interception during a red-zone segment. The pass — which Stantley Thomas-Oliver tipped and Kenny Robinson intercepted — was intended for Marshall in the back of the end zone and fell short. Marshall wasn’t open anyway. The read may have been a high-low, but Darnold missed a wide-open target about 8 yards in front of him and instead threw into triple coverage. Best throw: Brandon Zylstra caught a short touchdown from Darnold three plays after the interception. Starting outside and to Darnold’s left, Zylstra exchanged with slot receiver Shi Smith and ran a short in route. Darnold knew exactly where and when to throw it. Zylstra made a sliding end-zone catch, adjusting to the low Darnold throw that kept him safe from contact. Notable mistake: Darnold threw an unnecessary interception to Kenny Robinson. The ball was originally tipped by Thomas-Oliver and was intended for Marshall. Who won the day? Mayfield takes the day. For the first time, he has created some separation from Darnold, though it is still early. Total wins this preseason Baker Mayfield 3 Sam Darnold 2

Thank you for sharing here

Yep and he is the one that said the Panthers needed to sign ‘Baker sooner rather than later’ and that made a lot of posters on here lose their minds lol

Baker Mayfield vs. Sam Darnold, Day 5: Tracking Panthers quarterbacks at training camp BY ELLIS L. WILLIAMS [email protected] 5 hours ago The pads came on for the first time on Monday as Carolina opened Day 5 of training camp. Coach Matt Rhule said he’d gain a better understanding of where quarterbacks Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield were offensively once the second week of camp started. Mayfield and Darnold are competing to be the team’s starting quarterback and once again rotated reps. Darnold worked more heavily with the first team. Rhule said that will flip on Tuesday, similar to how the quarterbacks alternated last week. Despite working mostly with the second team, Mayfield had his sharpest practice yet. Let’s dive deeper into their performances. Baker Mayfield Stats (unofficial): 10 of 12, 3 TDs Practicing in pads for the first time allowed Carolina to sprinkle in more runs. Because of that, Mayfield attempted twice as many throws as Darnold. Mayfield took advantage of each throwing opportunity by maximizing both his explosive throws and efficiency. There was a lot to like from No. 6. Early in practice, he hit second-year receiver Terrace Marshall on a comeback route down the right sideline. The 12-yard completion came via play-action. Mayfield is doing an excellent job controlling his eyes on dropbacks. His helmet stays down the middle until he’s ready to unload on his first read. When Marshall opened, Mayfield snapped his head right and sniped a high and outside ball. Marshall extended, making the toe-taping diving catch. The duo wasn’t done. A few players later Mayfield hit Marshall on a deep over route for a gain of 25. Marshall started on the right of the formation and then worked over the linebackers and between a safety until Mayfield found him. It was the longest play of the day for Carolina’s offense. Mayfield’s effective day continued during the team’s red zone session. He threw touchdowns to Rashard Higgins and tight end Colin Thompson off play-action drops. He nearly scored with slot receiver Shi Smith but the pass was completed just short of the goal line. Best throw: His 25-yard completion to Marshall was textbook. Mayfield demonstrated sound patience and eye control standing in a messy pocket. However, his touchdown to Higgins popped too. Higgins started in the slot to Mayfield’s right. After a quick check, Mayfield took the snap. Higgins opened immediately on a quick slant and Mayfield delivered a precise ball high and in front of Higgins for an easy score. Notable mistake: Mayfield played cleanly on Day 5. After practice, he acknowledged his sloppy play from Saturday and made up for it with his most efficient practice yet. Sam Darnold Stats (unofficial): 3 of 6, TD, Rush TD, Fumble Coming into training camp, Darnold said his goal was to build upon each practice and steadily improve each day. It’s cliche but actually is the best way for a quarterback to handle an open competition. He did not do that on Monday, instead his opportunities were fumbled (once literally) by either his receivers not getting open against the Panthers’ No. 1 defense or him missing assignments. He showcased his athleticism on multiple plays, taking off when things broke down. During a red zone session, offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo even called a designed quarterback keeper which Darnold converted. Mayfield likely never gets that play called for him. But six throws is not enough to win a day of practice amid a quarterback competition. Best throw: Darnold connected with Smith for a red-zone touchdown on a designed quarterback bootleg. Smith motioned across the formation and opened at the line of scrimmage as Darnold reached the perimeter. The smooth pitch-and-catch ended in Darnold and Smith congratulating each other in the end zone. Notable mistake: Darnold had two fumbles on Monday. After practice coach Rhule said Darnold’s second fumble was actually a forward pass intended for running back D’Onta Foreman. A fumble or not, Darnold failed to execute consecutive red-zone run plays. The confirmed fumble came via a read-option exchange with backup Spencer Brown. Who won the day? Mayfield brought his best practice to Wofford College to start Week 2 of Panthers training camp. After practice, he admitted that the playbook is not “second nature” to him yet but he is making significant progress.

Yep Sad truth. What this started, the cheap hit by Watt finished.

At this point, what talks heads say does not matter neither does what we say or wanted either He is here. He is the starting QB. I wish him the best and I hope for a competitive team I will pay zero attention to anything the Panthers and Rhule say. Rhule lies when his lips move They understand, too, that they cannot trot Darnold out to the home,fans and I understand, like we all do, there is zero faith in Darnold

Just win Two words needed. it really is that simple

At this point, he is here…we can’t change it so might as well support him and hope for the best

Obviously his opinion Panthers trade for Baker Mayfield doesn’t change their long-term QB plan. He’s already here BY ELLIS L. WILLIAMS EWILLIAMS@CHARLOTTEOBSERVER. Panthers training camp is going from warm and predictable to hot and wild. By trading with the Cleveland Browns for quarterback Baker Mayfield on Thursday, Carolina instantly adds competition to its quarterback room of Sam Darnold, PJ Walker, rookie Matt Corral and the undrafted rookie Davis Cheek. In exchange for Mayfield, the Panthers agreed to trade a conditional 2024 fifth-round pick; that pick becomes a fourth-round selection if he plays around 70% of offensive snaps this season. Mayfield and Darnold — who were the Nos. 1 and 3 picks in the 2018 draft — will enter training camp with an open competition at quarterback, according to a league source. With Darnold and Mayfield battling for first-team reps, expectations for Corral should be lowered while Walker and Cheeks are both likely training camp cuts. (Unless the Panthers decide to carry four quarterbacks, which would help Walker.) Cheeks will garner practice squad interest. The team has no plans to cut Darnold, who is guaranteed $18.98 million this season, and has not explored trading him, according to a league source. Carolina drafted Corral out of Ole Miss with plans to develop him slowly, and bringing in Mayfield decreases his chances of seeing the field this season. If Mayfield beats out Darnold in training camp, then Darnold becomes the league’s highest-paid backup while Corral would likely be the third quarterback. The Panthers did call Corral to inform him of the trade and ensured him that he is still their future of the position, according to a league source. For Corral, he’ll have a year to learn under Darnold and Mayfield. Considering the team traded a 2023 third-round pick to move up and draft him in the third round back in April, the Panthers are still excited about his future at the position. And despite making positive strides during OTAs, new offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo is installing a complex system, one the rookie admitted is challenging to learn. Adding Mayfield eliminates almost any possibility of Corral starting because of injury early this season. The goal is to let Corral learn the offense — similar to how Aaron Rodgers or Patrick Mahomes sat behind proven starters — until he is fully ready to start. Since both Darnold and Mayfield are playing on expiring contracts, the team can evaluate both at year’s end and make a comfortable decision knowing Corral is still available for the long term. From Mayfield’s perspective, he isn’t coming to Carolina to lose a quarterback competition or serve as a mentor. He’s here to revamp his career, remake his league-wide image and eventually land a long-term contract with the Panthers or elsewhere. Mayfield-to-Carolina happened because it’s the best short-term move for all three parties, with the potential to be a multi-year solution for all. For several weeks, the Panthers and Browns had the parameters of a trade set but neither side could agree on how much of Mayfield’s $18.9 million each would pay. Once Mayfield agreed to trim $3.5 million off his deal, the Browns were comfortable paying $10.5 million while Carolina picked up the remaining $4.858 million. Mayfield can recoup the missing $3.5 million via on-field incentives based on playing time percentage and performance. The Panthers parted with a conditional fifth-round pick (which can become a fourth-round pick), a low price for a quarterback who is only a year removed from posting career bests in interceptions (8), QBR (65.5), and yards per attempt (7.7). A closer look reveals he was one of the best quarterbacks in the league over his last six games of the 2020 season. Mayfield threw for 1,713 yards, 11 touchdowns, one interception and a 103.4 rating. The Browns went 4-2 before beating the Steelers on wild-card weekend, giving Cleveland its first postseason victory since 1994. A year ago at this time, Mayfield was on the cusp of many top 10 quarterback lists. Always polarizing, the former Heisman winner set out to prove he was the Browns’ long-term solution as Mayfield and the Browns worked towards a contract extension. But in Week 2, Mayfield tore his left labrum while trying to tackle a Houston Texans player after an interception. Mayfield played through the pain but did not perform anywhere near his 2020 self. His 13 interceptions were tied for fourth-most. He posted a 35.1 QBR, fifth-lowest among starting quarterbacks and led the Browns to an underwhelming 8-9 record. Cleveland entered the season with Super Bowl expectations and fell drastically short. Throughout the season there was a disconnect between Mayfield and head coach Kevin Stefanski. While the Browns were losing games, Mayfield was unhappy with the playcalling and thought the team was not playing to his strengths. He also did not like the messaging surrounding his in-season injuries, which in addition to his torn left labrum included a bruised heel and knee and groin injuries. Once Cleveland openly courted Deshaun Watson (along with Carolina, Atlanta and New Orleans), Mayfield requested a trade. When Watson (who is still awaiting disciple from the league office regarding his pending civil lawsuits) chose to waive his no-trade clause to join the Browns, it was a matter of when Cleveland would trade Mayfield, not if. Enter Carolina. Head coach Matt Rhule is coming off consecutive five-win seasons and must win-now to keep his job. Owner David Tepper, burned by two big offseason quarterback moves (Teddy Bridgewater in 2020 and Darnold last season) is hoping the third time will reverse his fortunes. And Mayfield — desperate for a new locker room — landed in the only place where he’d be offered an opportunity to compete for a starting job. Compete is exactly what Mayfield is expected to do in Carolina, and it’s what he’s done his entire career. As a Texas Tech walk-on freshman, he won the starting job in 2013 but when Kliff Kingsbury didn’t put him on scholarship after, he transferred to Oklahoma. There, he beat out Trevor Knight for the starting job and won the Heisman Trophy before becoming the top draft pick. He won’t be handed the No. 1 spot. Mayfield is already behind incumbent quarterbacks Darnold, Corral, Walker and Cheeks in the playbook after minicamp last month. Besides newcomer Rashard Higgins, who Mayfield played four seasons with, he’ll be throwing to all new targets. But Mayfield is used to adversity-riddled roads, lined with doubters and naysayers. Cleveland drafted Mayfield No. 1 overall after going 0-16. By Year 3, the Browns were 11-5, made the playoffs for the first since 2002 and won their first playoff game since 1994. To thank his former quarterback for those accomplishments and more, Browns Executive Vice President of Football Operations and General Manager Andrew Berry released a statement Wednesday afternoon addressing Mayfield. Baker Mayfield infused our organization with tenacity and grit during his time as our starting quarterback,” Berry said in a statement. “Baker’s competitiveness, toughness and ability to persevere were all characteristics that endeared him to our city as well as his teammates. He will always have a unique place in Browns history for what he accomplished and we wish him well as he continues his career.” Berry was a part of the front office that drafted Mayfield. He knows better than anyone what Mayfield brings to an organization. The Panthers’ newest quarterback wields natural tenacity, grit, competitiveness and toughness. Most importantly, he perseveres.

Posted for those who dint have observer access Baker Mayfield’s trade to Carolina Panthers can be missing link to playoff berth BY SCOTT FOWLER [email protected] 4 hours ago Quarterback Baker Mayfield being traded to the Panthers — the rumor that finally became reality on Wednesday — may not work. It might fail miserably. But it’s sure worth a try, especially given the relatively small price the Panthers paid for what is a one-year rental at the NFL’s most important position. It even has a chance of being the move that pushes Carolina to a playoff berth, if the new offensive line is as good as advertised and the defense plays as well as it should. Mayfield will instantly become the most dynamic QB quarterback the Panthers have employed since Cam Newton. When you’re Carolina and you get a chance to take that sort of shot, you have to, even though this is very much a short-term gamble and not a long-term fix. Mayfield, like Sam Darnold, is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent in 2023. Acquiring Mayfield three weeks before training camp starts is the sort of bold/desperate move made by a GM in Scott Fitterer and a coach in Matt Rhule who are acting like their jobs depend on their 2022 record. And that’s appropriate, because they do. We all know Panthers owner David Tepper is fine with pulling the plug on anything he doesn’t think is going well. The now-defunct Rock Hill training facility and formerCharlotte FC coach Miguel Angel Ramirez, axed less than halfway through the team’s inaugural season, are just two recent examples. And although Tepper has preached patience with the Panthers, Rhule has gone 5-11 and 5-12 in his two seasons in Charlotte and is on the hot seat. This year has to work, or else someone big will go. Likely two someones — both Fitterer and Rhule, and Rhule is likely on the shorter leash. There’s no “Wait ‘til next year” right now for the Panthers, because no one knows who’s going to be around next year, other than Carolina’s long-suffering fans, Sir Purr and the Sam Mills statue. Mayfield cost Carolina only a conditional fifth-round pick in 2024 and $4.858 million in 2022 salary-cap room, with Cleveland picking up $10.5 million of Mayfield’s original 2022 contract and Mayfield agreeing to forgo another $3.5 million to get the deal done. The deal will be completed only when Mayfield passes his physical Thursday afternoon, but there aren’t expected to be any problems there. If Mayfield plays roughly 70% of Carolina’s offensive snaps in 2022, the 2024 draft pick Carolina sent to Cleveland becomes a fourth-rounder instead of a fifth, a source with direct knowledge of the deal said. The three sides — Cleveland, Carolina and the Mayfield camp — were about a million dollars apart over the past week, and all three compromised at the end to get the financial part done. The capital expended by the Panthers was cheap for a starting QB, which is certainly what Mayfield should be. His ascension to first-teamer may not occur before the suddenly symbolic Browns/Panthers season opener in Charlotte on Sept. 11, given the head start Sam Darnold has in learning the system of new Carolina offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo. But it’s inevitable. Darnold has been worse in just about every statistical way than Mayfield since the two joined the league in 2018 (Mayfield as the No. 1 pick, Darnold as No. 3), and you don’t trade for Baker Mayfield to let him sit on the bench for long. The Panthers can call this a competition all they want; Mayfield will eventually earn the job, one way or another. But there are also no plans to trade Darnold. Deshaun Watson v. Baker Mayfield Mayfield wanted out of Cleveland, of course, because the Browns made the morally repugnant decision to trade for QB Deshaun Watson and then give him the most player-friendly contract in NFL history, despite the fact the NFL seems likely to suspend Watson for a long time due to his inappropriate behavior during massage sessions. The Panthers tried hard to get Watson, too, which was also morally repugnant. But at least they’ve ended up on the better side of this deal, with the player Watson replaced instead of Watson himself. I guessed wrongly that the flirtation with Mayfield would never reach the marriage stage for the Panthers, but here we are. By September, a crowded Panthers QB room will likely be winnowed down to Mayfield, Darnold and rookie third-round draft pick Matt Corral, who probably won’t see a regular-season snap this season given the sudden influx of veteran talent. And that’s fine. This was supposed to be a developmental year for Corral anyway. Maybe he starts in 2024 — the Panthers assured Corral Wednesday that he is their “long-term future” at quarterback. Corral constituted one swing at the QB position, but Carolina needed to take another. No NFL team goes far without solving the QB quadratic equation, and the Panthers haven’t come close since Cam Newton had his last good full year in 2017. That was also the last year the Panthers made the playoffs; they’ve gone 22-43 since. Rhule has never come close to getting it fixed. This was a good move for Carolina, in the same way it’s smart to order two items on a menu if you can afford it; you’re hungry and you’re not at all sure about the first thing you ordered (in this case, Darnold). McAdoo ripped Mayfield in 2018 Carolina’s QB situation hasn’t looked right since Newton got hit helmet-first in the throwing shoulder by Pittsburgh’s T.J. Watt midway through the 2018 season and it all went south. Since then, the Panthers have started luminaries like Kyle Allen, Taylor Heinicke, Will Grier, Teddy Bridgewater and P.J. Walker, Darnold and Newton 2.0 (batteries and long throws not included). And while they’ve all had some moments, none of them have won consistently. Mayfield didn’t win consistently in Cleveland, either, but he won a lot more than Darnold did with the New York Jets and Carolina. His star power isn’t that important, but it won’t hurt for a Carolina franchise that struggles to keep its own fans in their own seats. Mayfield’s relationship with McAdoo will be worth watching. In 2018, McAdoo told the New York Post he thought Mayfield was the sixth-best QB in the draft. Among his comments were these: “I didn’t see a lot of pro-style football in his college tape. And if you’re short (Mayfield is listed at 6-foot-1), 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 kinda like a pocket quarterback that is short and with small hands, that’s what I worry about.’’ Four years later, McAdoo and Mayfield will try to revitalize their own careers, as well as Rhule’s and the Panthers franchise as a whole. No pressure there, right? But again, it’s worth trying. The Panthers have said all sorts of nice things about Darnold in the offseason, but they obviously don’t trust him enough to hand him the keys. Mayfield is coming. And if nothing else, life as a Panther fan just got a lot more fun.

Well. I know how you feel at this point, though, give Baker a chance. He has at least been on the big stage in NCAA and NFL and won on it the Tepper and Rhule bromance is going to continue so it’s either accept it or leave it No power to change it I am going to enjoy the NFL and NCAa Seasons as much as humanly possible my days of mood altering Sundays based on the Panthers are over. I hope they don’t look ridiculous. If they do, they do only going to two games this season. Selling the rest. One is the opener. Just praying to god Baker, not Darnold, is the starter

Rhule is a buffoon a rich buffoon this year he has a much better coaching staff …two former NFl coaches The GM is coming into his own Whether he did these things in his own or was told, we will never know Not sure about the defensive staff. snow’s defense, I read somewhere, was #31 getting off the field on 3rd down fixing that would help the win column as well ..who knows …tougher schedule …teams that know how to score i am not as big on snow as others best case, Carolina is it’s usual 8 and 9 for the season and Rhule opts to ride off to the next NCAA school that wants to over pay him

Exactly as I understand it, he had three OCs in three years. He played hurt to try and help his team ..not just the shoulder this is his prove it year who knows if he is the answer With this organization, having competent would be a step up Just get the ball to the play makers That’s his job I’m all for giving him a chance anything in god’s name will be better then watching Sam Darnold crying on the side lines There is no crying I’m the alpha world if the nfl

Baker is here at a fair price I wish him every good thing as he takes the field $4.85 million is what the Panthers are paying for Baker plus a 5th rd

Just sharing a piece by an Observer author that most on here respect that is behind a paywall Personally do not care

The Panthers should trade for Browns’ Baker Mayfield sooner than later. Here’s why BY ELLIS L. WILLIAMS [email protected] 1 day ago It’s time for the Carolina Panthers to trade for Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield. Training camp is five weeks away. If the Panthers are going to add a veteran, which neither coach Matt Rhule nor general manager Scott Fitterer has ruled out, Mayfield and the team would benefit from placing a Ben McAdoo playbook in Mayfield’s lap as soon as possible. There should also be newfound urgency from Carolina after recent reports suggest Seattle is still highly interested in acquiring the former 2018 No. 1 pick. Behind the scenes, not much has changed between Carolina and Cleveland. The Charlotte Observer reported in April, and again in May, that the Panthers want the Browns to take on the majority of Mayfield’s contract in a trade. There is still about a $4.5 million gap between Carolina and Cleveland as the Browns are willing to pay up to half of Mayfield’s fully-guaranteed $18.9 million. The Browns are seeking a mid-to-late round pick for Mayfield according to a league source. That value is based on what Cleveland would receive for him via a compensatory pick. Though highly unlikely, the Browns could hold Mayfield out this season — pay him to not show up to practice or games — then he’d sign as a free agent elsewhere next spring, earning Cleveland a compensatory pick. Mayfield will not play another snap for the Browns regardless of how embattled quarterback Deshaun Watson’s looming suspension rules. Even if the league suspends him indefinitely, or for a season, do not expect Mayfield to fill in, even if it makes sense on paper. Tough QB situation Both Carolina and Seattle could use Mayfield. Seattle’s quarterback room features Drew Lock, an up-and-down thrower entering his fourth season, and veteran Geno Smith who hasn’t started double-digit games since 2014. Carolina’s quarterback situation is not much better. The team drafted Matt Corral, but he’s being integrated slowly with no expectation to be the Week 1 starter. Sam Darnold, who Rhule said would start if the team had games to play in June, has a career record of 17-32. Compared to Mayfield’s 29-30 career record, Darnold is not nearly the winner Mayfield is. Darnold’s best season came in 2019. He threw for 3,024 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. He posted a 45.6 QBR that season and a career-best 6.9 yards per attempt. Last season, Darnold reverted to his New York self, throwing nine touchdowns, 13 interceptions, and a league-worse 33.2 QBR. Excuses can be (and are) made for Darnold: He’s had five different offensive coordinators in as many seasons, and has never been sacked fewer than 30 times in a year. Mayfield has endured similar hardships. His next offensive coordinator will also be his fifth. In 2019 and 2021, Mayfield was sacked 40 or more times. Yet in 2019, he posted 3,827 passing yards, a career-high. Mayfield’s career-worst seasons are comparable to Darnold’s best years. The case for Baker Mayfield In 2020 Mayfield posted career bests in interceptions (8), QBR (65.5), and yards per attempt (7.7). A closer look reveals he was one of the best quarterbacks in the league over his last six games of the 2020 season. Mayfield threw for 1,713 yards, 11 touchdowns, one interception, and a 103.4 rating. The Browns went 4-2 before beating the Steelers on wild-card weekend, giving Cleveland its first postseason victory since 1993. To put those numbers in perspective, project them over 16 games and it translates to 4,568 yards, which would have ranked fifth in the league. His rating over that time would have ranked ninth. Pro Football Focus graded only Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes higher than Mayfield during that stretch. Six games are not enough of a sample size to define Mayfield as a top 15 quarterback, but after the 2020 season, many around the league were. He’s been chasing those highs ever since, even while playing through a torn labrum in 2021 which he suffered while trying to make a tackle in Week 2. Mayfield supporters argue his 2020 self is representative of who is: a quarterback capable of leading an offense to the playoffs while protecting the football and capitalizing on explosive plays. Because of injury, he never got the opportunity to build upon his 2020 momentum. Instead, he regressed, lost confidence, and the Browns moved on with Watson. Both the resume and eye test reveal Mayfield (who is fully recovered from off-season labrum surgery) is a better quarterback than Darnold. If not Mayfield, who? Mayfield is not the only veteran available. 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who is owed $26.9 million in 2022 if San Francisco does not cut him, is on target to start throwing soon after having successful right shoulder surgery in March. Garoppolo will be 31 years old in November. He provides both unquestioned maturity and consistency compared to the 27-year-old Mayfield or 25-year-old Darnold. But there are concerns within the Panthers about Garoppolo’s injury history. During his five years in San Francisco, Garoppolo missed 35 games, including two games last year that were unrelated to his offseason shoulder surgery. Garoppolo dealt with ankle, calf, and thumb injuries all year before hurting his shoulder in the playoffs. He started five games in 2017, three in 2018, and six in 2020. In 2019 and 2021 he started 16 and 15 games, respectively. What good is acquiring a quarterback who isn’t routinely available? In contrast, Mayfield has only missed two games over his four-year career, both last season when the Browns dropped out of playoff contention and he was shut down to focus on healing his shoulder. Yet, most evaluators prefer Garoppolo to Mayfield when asked. “I like Garoppolo. I think he’s become somewhat underrated. He’s been productive,” former NFL GM Mike Tannenbaum told The Charlotte Observer. “That’s the guy I would go after. If they can get him then I think they’ve improved themselves at the position.” Garoppolo has a career completion percentage of 68%, while Mayfield completes 61% of his passes. They have nearly identical touchdown and interception percentages around 4.6% and 2.8%, respectively. Garoppolo’s career yards per attempt (8.4) are more than a yard greater than Mayfield’s 7.3 yards-per-attempt average. Despite positive reviews from OTAs and minicamp, both Garoppolo and Mayfield provide Carolina an upgrade at quarterback. Because of Garoppolo’s injury history, Mayfield is the safer option. It’s time Carolina finds a way to acquire Mayfield before another team beats them to it.