Can Baker Mayfield lift Carolina Panthers into playoff contention? NFL sources believe so.

[poundaway]

https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-baker-mayfield-carolina-panthers-playoff-contention-nfl-sources

Can Baker Mayfield lift Carolina Panthers into playoff contention?

NFL sources believe so.

While other quarterback-needy teams around the NFL were proactive in their pursuit of the position this offseason, the Carolina Panthers held back and took a patient approach before an early-July splash move.

And sources around the league believe that lack of urgency could actually pay off in the form of a playoff berth after the team acquired Baker Mayfield in a trade with the Cleveland Browns.

The Panthers bided their time before the 2022 NFL Draft, traded up into the third round to select Matt Corral out of Mississippi and then waited until July 6 to take their biggest swing by sending a 2024 conditional fifth-round pick to the Browns for Mayfield.

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...he ranked ninth among quarterbacks with an 87.5 overall PFF grade from 2018 to 2020 and 10th with an 84.9 passing grade in the same timespan.

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Its dated Jul 20.  I looked but didn't see it posted. 

[hepcat]

If Baker Mayfield leads the Panthers to the playoffs it means Christian McCaffrey stayed healthy the whole season and we all know that ain’t happening again. Panthers will probably be 7-10

[poundaway]

7 minutes ago, hepcat said:

If Baker Mayfield leads the Panthers to the playoffs it means Christian McCaffrey stayed healthy the whole season and we all know that ain’t happening again. Panthers will probably be 7-10

I think the "NFL sources" and others outside the huddle are more optimistic than many huddlers in general. 

Edited August 6, 2022 by poundaway

[RJK]

Well the NFC as a whole is horrible so the wildcard spot could go to a team .500 or under. 

[bruceleeroy]

1 hour ago, hepcat said:

If Baker Mayfield leads the Panthers to the playoffs it means Christian McCaffrey stayed healthy the whole season and we all know that ain’t happening again. Panthers will probably be 7-10

As the actual stats prove, Mayfield is a top 10 QB when healthy and motivated.  He is both in Carolina.

[onmyown]

2 hours ago, bruceleeroy said:

As the actual stats prove, Mayfield is a top 10 QB when healthy and motivated.  He is both in Carolina.

why downplay the whole when healthy and motivated part? That’s pretty big….a ‘top 10 qb’ does not get traded for 5 mil and some Doritos because that poo doesn’t matter and there is absolutely no way to know if that injury or surgery fuged him up for good…I am very curious how you are able to know this

Edited August 6, 2022 by onmyown

[kungfoodude]

I would say possible but unlikely. 

I suspect we are going to finally see Rhule prove himself as the NFL's worst head coach. 

TBH, anything less than a winning record will cement that. Especially with all the hype about our offseason. 

 

[Shotgun]

5 hours ago, poundaway said:

https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-baker-mayfield-carolina-panthers-playoff-contention-nfl-sources

Can Baker Mayfield lift Carolina Panthers into playoff contention?

NFL sources believe so.

While other quarterback-needy teams around the NFL were proactive in their pursuit of the position this offseason, the Carolina Panthers held back and took a patient approach before an early-July splash move.

And sources around the league believe that lack of urgency could actually pay off in the form of a playoff berth after the team acquired Baker Mayfield in a trade with the Cleveland Browns.

The Panthers bided their time before the 2022 NFL Draft, traded up into the third round to select Matt Corral out of Mississippi and then waited until July 6 to take their biggest swing by sending a 2024 conditional fifth-round pick to the Browns for Mayfield.

----

...he ranked ninth among quarterbacks with an 87.5 overall PFF grade from 2018 to 2020 and 10th with an 84.9 passing grade in the same timespan.

----------------

Its dated Jul 20.  I looked but didn't see it posted. 

[BIGH2001]

It’s not a big stretch. A few things have to go right. One of those things includes Rhule being just a figurehead and not talking or coaching. On paper the talent is there to grab a spot l, especially in a 7 team field. 

[top dawg]

1 hour ago, kungfoodude said:

I would say possible but unlikely. 

I suspect we are going to finally see Rhule prove himself as the NFL's worst head coach. 

TBH, anything less than a winning record will cement that. Especially with all the hype about our offseason. 

 

How can Rhule do that if Mayfield is all that and a bag of chips? I haven't seen a coach who can take a veteran QB who is worth a damn and make them losers. If Baker can play at a high level, he will play at a high level despite a bad coach. We're not talking an inexperienced rookie QB who has been messed up here. Now, of course, if you don't think Baker is all that, and just some middling to mediocre QB who is suspect to turn the ball over, then I could see your pessimism, but Rhule won't be the reason for that either. If Baker can play, he'll play! No excuses!

[kungfoodude]

9 minutes ago, top dawg said:

How can Rhule do that if Mayfield is all that and a bag of chips? I haven't seen a coach who can take a veteran QB who is worth a damn and make them losers. If Baker can play at a high level, he will play at a high level despite a bad coach. We're not talking an inexperienced rookie QB who has been messed up here. Now, of course, if you don't think Baker is all that, and just some middling to mediocre QB who is suspect to turn the ball over, then I could see your pessimism, but Rhule won't be the reason for that either. If Baker can play, he'll play! No excuses!

Yeah but Baker playing at a high level may not lead to winning. Do you remember recent Superb Owl champion Matt Stafford's entire career with the Lions? Do you remember Matt Ryan's time with Atlanta? Deshaun Watson with Houston?

You can be a really good or even elite QB and not be able to overcome shitty coaching or just a poo situation. 

Hell, look at our own Cam Newton.

 

[Harbingers]

2 hours ago, kungfoodude said:

I would say possible but unlikely. 

I suspect we are going to finally see Rhule prove himself as the NFL's worst head coach. 

TBH, anything less than a winning record will cement that. Especially with all the hype about our offseason. 

 

Do we have an OL yet?

[mrcompletely11]

7 hours ago, poundaway said:

I think the "NFL sources" and others outside the huddle are more optimistic than many huddlers in general. 

"sources" vs Vegas (the guys that do it for money)

 

https://www.vegasinsider.com/nfl/odds/win-totals/

 

6.5

 

We would have to blow their odds out of the water to make the playoffs. 

[MHS831]

7 hours ago, hepcat said:

If Baker Mayfield leads the Panthers to the playoffs it means Christian McCaffrey stayed healthy the whole season and we all know that ain’t happening again. Panthers will probably be 7-10

I have not read the thread yet, hepcat, but I think we have a better RB room than we did last year.  That said, without CMC, this team has been awful.