Panthers Host DL Danny Shelton
Veteran free agent Danny Shelton may be on the move soon. The defensive lineman is visiting the Panthers today (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL Network). 
Shelton was the 12th overall pick of the Browns in 2015, and immediately took on a starting role as a rookie. Over three seasons, he totaled 128 tackles, but only 1.5 sacks. Given his inability to develop into the pass-rushing presence he was drafted to become, he was traded to the Patriots in 2018.
His New England tenure lasted two seasons, including a carer year in 2019. Shelton posted 61 total tackles, three sacks and a forced fumble, but the Washington alum still found himself on the move at the end of the year. He signed with the Lions in 2020, then the Giants last offseason.
In New York, the 28-year-old made 13 appearances, but didn’t register any starts. He logged a career-low snap percentage of 29%, and registered a poor PFF rating for the second straight season. It comes as little surprise, then, that he is still on the open market with training camp just around the corner.
In Carolina, Shelton would be joining a young defensive front featuring the likes of Derrick Brown, Matt Ioannidis and Daviyon Nixon at the top of the depth chart. Reclaiming a starting role would be highly unlikely at this point in his career, but Shelton could carve out a rotational role for himself as at least an experienced run-stopper.
Panthers Sign Rookie QB Matt Corral, Finalize Draft Class
The Panthers are the latest team to come to terms with one of the few remaining unsigned rookies around the league. Carolina has signed third-round quarterback Matt Corral, per a team announcement. 
Corral took over as the starter at Ole Miss in 2019, but it was during the two subsequent seasons that he boosted his draft stock considerably. During those campaigns, he threw for a combined 6,670 yards with a completion percentage of 69.5% and a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 49:18. Showcasing his rushing ability, he added 1,103 yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground.
Those totals helped the Rebels to a 10-3 season, and led to Corral finishing seventh in Heisman voting in 2021. Concerns about his frame (six-foot-one, 205 pounds) and ability to adapt to a more complex NFL scheme led to him being viewed as a Day 2 pick, as several other members of this year’s underwhelming QB class were. After Desmond Ridder and Malik Willis taken in the third round, the Panthers traded up to select Corral.
Since then, the Panthers have, of course, added Baker Mayfield to their QB room. The team intends to keep both he and Sam Darnold on the roster, so 2022 will be seen as a redshirt season for Corral. If he develops over time, he could provide the team with at least a long-term backup at a position which has been in flux for several years.
With Corral signed, here is the final breakdown of the Panthers’ 2022 class:
Round 1: No. 6 Ikem Ekwonu, OL (NC State) (signed)
Round 3: No. 94 (from Chiefs through Patriots) Matt Corral, QB (Ole Miss)
Round 4: No. 120 (from Commanders through Saints) Brandon Smith, LB (Penn State) (signed)
Round 6: No. 189 (from Commanders) Amare Barno, Edge (Virginia Tech) (signed)
Round 6: No. 199 (from Raiders) Cade Mays, OG (Tennessee) (signed)
Round 7: No. 242 (from Patriots through Dolphins) Kalon Barnes, CB (Baylor) (signed)
Latest On Baker Mayfield’s Panthers Deal
The Panthers are only responsible for $4.86MM of Baker Mayfield‘s 2022 salary. The Browns are paying $10.5MM. While the recently traded quarterback agreed to a trade-facilitating pay cut, incentives are present in his deal that would allow him to recoup some of his $3.5MM cut.
Team- and statistical-based incentives are present here, with Field Yates of ESPN.com detailing the escalator package Mayfield agreed to with Carolina (Twitter link). Though, most of them are not likely to be earned. The most realistic team-based bump would come if Mayfield plays 75% of the Panthers’ offensive snaps and the team wins 10 games. Additional incentives are in place for Panthers divisional-round wins, a Super Bowl LVII appearance and a Super Bowl win.
If the Panthers rank in the top 10 in total offense (or top five in the NFC), Mayfield would earn $300K, Yates notes. An additional $300K bump would come if the Panthers’ offense ranked in the top 10 (or top five in the NFC) in scoring. Mayfield attempting at least 224 passes and ranking top 10 in the NFL (or top five in the NFC) in completion percentage would result in another $300K bonus. A $500K Pro Bowl incentive also exists here.
Mayfield is 0-for-4 in Pro Bowl invites, leading to the original $18.9MM fifth-year option price tag. He has also not previously ranked in the top 10 in completion percentage in a season, topping out at 24th (63.8) during his 2018 rookie year. The Browns also fell short of the points and yardage thresholds in each of Mayfield’s four seasons, adding to the uphill climb here.
The recently traded QB has banked $32.7MM, through his four-year rookie deal. While it looks like he will have to wait until 2023 to cross the $50MM career-earnings barrier, the trade to Carolina stands to put the ex-Cleveland starter in a better position to cash in on the 2023 open market. The Panthers also have exclusive negotiating rights until next year’s legal tampering period, but GM Scott Fitterer said the team is likely a ways away from going down that road.
NFC South Rumors: Mayfield, Henderson, Jones, Buccaneers
After months of anticipation and speculation, the Panthers finally made the move to acquire Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield via trade. In the 27-year-old’s first press conference for Carolina, the new passer announced that he has “tweaked his throwing mechanics,” according to Anthony Rizzuti of USA Today.
The change in throwing motion is a direct result of the time Mayfield had to miss last year due to a torn labrum in his left shoulder.
“When it comes to my shoulder…my throwing motion was extremely violent,” Mayfield explained. “I’ve made some small changes and worked with a great QB coach, Jeff Christensen. He’s helped me get back to a form that…I haven’t thrown the ball this well in a long time. And throwing motion looks a little different and I’m thankful for that.”
Here’s a few other rumors from the NFC South, starting with another note out of the Tar Heel state:
- The Panthers’ cornerback situation was a bit chaotic last year. After drafting Jaycee Horn in the first round of last year’s draft, and subsequently losing him to a right foot injury, Carolina was forced to acquire both C.J. Henderson and Stephon Gilmore via trades. Henderson spent most of his first season with the Panthers adjusting to his second NFL defensive system in as many years in the league. This offseason, though, he’s reportedly begun to show the talent that got him drafted in the first round in 2020, according to ESPN’s David Newton. If Henderson can develop into a consistent starting talent, this would allow defensive coordinator Phil Snow and secondary coach Steve Wilks to have Horn move inside to play more nickel in passing situations, trusting Henderson and starting cornerback Donte Jackson on the outside.
- Falcons’ defensive mainstay over the past few years, linebacker Deion Jones, will have a bit more than an injury recovery to battle with this offseason, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta experienced an influx of inside linebacker talent this offseason, bringing in veterans Rashaan Evans and Nick Kwiatkoski in free agency and drafting rookie Troy Andersen in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Jones will be coming off shoulder surgery and head coach Arthur Smith told Ledbetter that “everybody is going to have to earn a spot” at the position.
- The Buccaneers will have a lot to figure out in their secondary this offseason, according to Greg Auman of The Athletic. The team was able to return starting cornerback Carlton Davis on a three-year deal back in March but has two options battling to start opposite him. Both being in contract years, Jamel Dean and Sean Murphy-Bunting will both be working to try and earn a similar new deal to Davis’. Tampa Bay will operate primarily in a nickel-look defense, meaning all three can be on the field, but when they revert to a base formation either Dean or Murphy-Bunting will have to earn that time. Not to mention, in the off case that one or both struggle at any point, veteran safety Logan Ryan is ready and waiting with his years of cornerback experience in his back pocket.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/12/22
Today’s minor transaction:
Carolina Panthers
- Waived: QB Davis Cheek
Cheek joined the Panthers as an UDFA earlier this offseason, but following the acquisition of Baker Mayfield, the team decided to clear out some extra depth from their quarterbacks room. Cheek threw for 8,548 yards, 51 touchdowns and 21 interceptions in 40 starts at Elon.
Latest On Panthers, Baker Mayfield
Now that Baker Mayfield is officially a Carolina Panther, his second NFL team has exclusive negotiating rights with him until the 2023 legal tampering period begins. That window, which closes in mid-March, could be critical not long down the road. For now, the Panthers are not looking at this acquisition through a post-2022 lens.
The Panthers have not discussed an extension with Mayfield, GM Scott Fitterer said Tuesday. Considering Mayfield is being pitted against Sam Darnold in a competition and has barely two weeks to learn OC Ben McAdoo‘s system ahead of training camp, extension talk is premature. The Panthers also helped sell the idea of a $3.5MM pay cut to Mayfield by pointing out how he can up his free agency stock after a year in Charlotte.
“We’ll let it play out throughout the season and we’ll make decisions later in the season whether it’s November or December, once there’s a track record behind [Mayfield] in this offense and this organization,” Fitterer said, via David Newton of ESPN.com. “… I just want to take it short term for now.”
Mayfield was connected to an extension worth more than $30MM per year in 2021, but he and the Browns tabled those talks. A disastrous 2021 campaign led to Mayfield’s value plummeting and the Browns moving to replace him. The former No. 1 overall pick will make more than $15MM this season, but the Panthers are responsible for only $4.86MM. That said, incentives could bump that number up by a few million.
Mayfield, 27, is expected to be the Panthers’ next starting quarterback. His beating out Darnold would put the latter in limbo. The Panthers cut Cam Newton and traded Teddy Bridgewater, eating some of the latter’s contract to move him. Carolina has seen considerable turnover at the game’s most important position.
Darnold, 25, is due $18.9MM fully guaranteed — a figure north of Mayfield’s, now that the former Heisman winner has taken a pay cut — and that number would be a non-starter for teams eyeing Darnold in a trade. The Panthers are not planning to move Darnold, Fitterer said (via The Athletic’s Joe Person, on Twitter). No trade calls have come. The Panthers now have Mayfield, Darnold, P.J. Walker and Matt Corral under contract.
Among Browns coaches and front office staffers, Mayfield support had waned, according to the Boston Globe’s Ben Volin. The fallout from the Odell Beckham Jr. trade and the “adult in the room” comment that surfaced just before the Browns’ controversial Mayfield-to-Deshaun Watson switch indicated the four-year starter was wearing out his welcome in Cleveland. When asked about the “adult in the room” comment, Fitterer said Tuesday “a lot of people” among the Panthers went to bat for Mayfield, via ESPN.com’s Jake Trotter (on Twitter).
The Panthers and Browns haggled over Mayfield’s salary split for several weeks, despite Fitterer and Matt Rhule wanting the QB to be a Panther by the team’s minicamp. During the draft, the Browns were believed to be willing to pay just more than $3MM of Mayfield’s salary. They ended at $10.5MM. Those April negotiations also appear to have featured a better draft pick coming Cleveland’s way, per Fitterer, whose team backed out of those mid-draft talks and traded up for Corral. The sides ended up agreeing on compensation that will either be a 2024 fourth- or fifth-round pick.
“The draft pick compensation came first in order for us to talk to Baker and kind of take that next step,” Fitterer said Tuesday (h/t Yardbarker). “We had to work with Cleveland to figure out what the right number was. Obviously, we talked to Cleveland during the draft — those things have gotten out — the compensation was higher at that point.
“Now that it changed with Matt Corral being added to the group, us going through the spring and Sam playing really well throughout the spring, we just didn’t have that urgency to necessarily go out there and add someone right away. So we worked through that compensation, we reached that [fifth-round pick] going into a [fourth-rounder] in two years, and we thought that was fair.”
Panthers QBs Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold In “Open” Competition
As many expected, the Panthers finalized a trade sending Baker Mayfield to Carolina last week. The former No. 1 pick is expected to represent an upgrade over last year’s top quarterback, but he could be named the starter only after the remainder of the offseason. 
In a press conference, general manager Scott Fitterer announced that Mayfield and Sam Darnold will take part in an “open competition,” as detailed by Joe Person and Larry Holder of The Athletic. Fitterer further described the circumstances now surrounding the team’s QB room as being “a very healthy situation.”
The Panthers were consistently linked to Mayfield this offseason, in large part due to Darnold’s struggles in his first year in Charlotte. The 25-year-old put together a 4-7 record, completing less than 60% of his passes and throwing more interceptions (13) than touchdown passes (nine). Mayfield struggled last season as well during an injured-plagued campaign, but if healthy, he would profile as having more upside given some of his past performances in Cleveland.
Nevertheless, Person tweets that Fitterer expects the snaps during training camp to be split in a “fairly even” manner. Part of the reason for that could of course be Mayfield’s late arrival; the Panthers wanted to get the trade done before minicamp. To that point, Person adds that the team set an internal deadline of July 5 to finalize the swap (Twitter link). Mayfield will be playing catch-up relative to Darnold especially in the early stages of camp, but he has already begun preparing himself for the competition to win out the starting job.
“I want to be a starter, I want to be a franchise-level quarterback for years, and hopefully, it’s here in Charlotte,” he said, via the team’s website. “And I want a level playing field, and I want to elevate the guys around me and be the best version of myself… I know it’s not going to be easy by any means, I’ve got to go earn it, but I’m looking forward to the competition and the challenge.”
When camp opens up later this month, this positional battle could be one of the Panthers’ top storylines to watch.
Panthers LB Frankie Luvu To Expand Role In 2022
Linebacker Frankie Luvu has slowly built his name in the NFL. He’s worked his way from special teams back to the defensive side of the ball and, according to Joseph Person of The Athletic, Carolina will look to utilize Luvu as a linebacker on both the inside and the outside next season. 
After going undrafted in 2018, Luvu signed with the Jets. He probably sealed his spot on the roster with his special teams play, but Luvu found the field quite a bit as an undrafted rookie. Spending the season as a backup linebacker, Luvu compiled 22 total tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, and 11 quarterback hits during his first year in the NFL. Although he was unable to record any stats in Week 17, New York rewarded him with his first career start.
After being relegated to more of a special teams role in his sophomore season, Luvu returned to more of a split role between defense and special teams in his third year, earning three starts following an injury to starter C.J. Mosley. Luvu’s stat sheet that year resembled his rookie season more than his second year as he continued to play more on defense.
Luvu’s hard work and production despite limited playing time didn’t go unnoticed. When he hit free agency that offseason, Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer took a flier on Luvu despite his size lending doubt to where he might fit in defensive coordinator Phil Snow‘s defense. They decided they liked him as a linebacker and, of course, a core special-teamer.
Luvu spent the season as a backup behind starting linebackers Shaq Thompson, Jermaine Carter, and Haason Reddick, earning most of his snaps on special teams. He did earn four starts throughout the season in four games that either Thompson or Reddick sat out.
Once again, despite the limited playing time, Luvu filled out the stat sheet. During his first year in Carolina, Luvu totaled 43 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 8.0 tackles for loss, five quarterback hits, one pass defensed, one forced fumble, and three fumble recoveries. He even added a blocked punt for good measure.
Thompson, a defensive captain for the Panthers, spoke highly of Luvu, saying, “He’s energetic. He’s a leader. He’s a big part of our defense. He’s one you can count on to make a play. He’s one you can count on off the field to be there for you.”
Carolina rewarded Luvu’s production and reliability with his first multi-year contract, a two-year, $9MM deal. Snow also plans on rewarding him with more opportunities in more positions on defense.
“He can create a lot of havoc by sending him in different areas,” Snow explained. “That’s his biggest asset, but Frankie’s made a lot of progress dropping (in coverage)…I think you’re gonna see a more all-around linebacker this fall from Frankie.”
The Panthers lost starters Carter and Reddick to free agency, but were able to reload with the free agent additions of veteran linebackers Damien Wilson and Cory Littleton. So Luvu will once again back up the starting three, this time composed of Thompson, Wilson, and Littleton, but his increased experience and production, combined with Snow’s desire to utilize him all over the field, should provide Luvu with more playing time and opportunities come September.
Panthers HC, GM Wanted Baker Mayfield At Team’s Minicamp
The Browns and Panthers engaged in trade talks for Baker Mayfield for nearly three months, and although the expected result finally emerged this week, Matt Rhule and Carolina GM Scott Fitterer wanted it to happen sooner.
Prior to Mayfield accepting a $3.5MM pay cut, with the possibility of recouping that money through incentives, the Panthers wanted the fifth-year quarterback to reduce his fully guaranteed salary by $7MM, Joe Person and Zac Jackson of The Athletic report (subscription required). Although this component of the trade caused a delay, both Rhule and Fitterer wanted this trade to be completed before the Panthers reported for minicamp.
Mayfield arriving ahead of Carolina’s minicamp would have given him more time to begin learning new OC Ben McAdoo‘s playbook, and the four-year Browns starter being at Panther minicamp obviously would have begun his competition with Sam Darnold earlier. Panthers owner David Tepper, however, was determined not to overpay for a “depressed asset,” with Person and Jackson adding the fifth-year Panthers owner being “dug in” led to Mayfield remaining with the Browns during minicamp time.
Mayfield recently expressed frustration the Browns did not trade him ahead of minicamp, but it is now known he was aware of the situation involving the Panthers when making those comments. The Browns are covering $10.5MM of his salary; the former Heisman winner is on the Panthers’ payroll at $4.86MM. While it should be expected Mayfield prevails in his upcoming competition with Darnold, the latter has a several-month head start in McAdoo’s offense — including on-field work at OTAs and minicamp. Mayfield has shown far more than Darnold on the field, and while that might win out, the timing of this trade did not do the newcomer any favors.
Carolina’s hopes at a $7MM pay cut became a non-starter for Mayfield, but Person and Jackson note the quarterback’s agent and Panthers VP of football administration Samir Suleiman worked out the $3.5MM incentive package. That made the 27-year-old passer more amenable to reducing the fully guaranteed $18.9MM salary.
The Browns initially sought a Day 2 pick for Mayfield — an asking price similar to the 49ers’ early Jimmy Garoppolo goal — and did hold talks with other teams about the quarterback, but the Panthers were the only serious suitor. The Colts, whom Mayfield eyed after the Browns entered the Deshaun Watson sweepstakes, quickly landed Matt Ryan. The Seahawks did not make a “real trade inquiry,” per The Athletic.
Baker Mayfield Fallout: Panthers, Browns, Garoppolo, Darnold, Draft, Salary, Seahawks
Wednesday’s Baker Mayfield trade came after months of negotiating. It appears the mid-June ramp-up in Browns-Panthers talks led to an agreement fairly soon after, but the ball fell into the quarterback’s court. Mayfield agreeing to trim $3.5MM from his salary satisfied the Panthers.
The teams had this deal in place for nearly a month, according to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones and former Browns GM Michael Lombardi (Twitter links). In pitching the slight pay cut to Mayfield, the Panthers pointed to the potential for the former No. 1 overall pick making up the difference by boosting his value for the 2023 free agent market, Jones adds. Mayfield, who was attached to an $18.9MM salary, can also earn back the money through 2022 incentives. Mayfield follows Odell Beckham Jr. in sacrificing some money to facilitate a Browns exit.
The interest in this interconference trade notwithstanding, David Newton of ESPN.com adds the deal will still precede a Mayfield-Darnold competition. Mayfield will be favored to win a training camp contest against incumbent Sam Darnold, who was chosen two picks after him in the 2018 draft. As for the conditional draft choice the Browns will receive, Mayfield’s former team will need to root for him to beat out Darnold. The pick will upgrade to a 2024 fourth-rounder if Mayfield plays at least 70% of the Panthers’ snaps, Joe Person of The Athletic tweets. Otherwise, it will become a fifth.
This battle’s winner will take the reins of a Panthers team that could feature a much better offensive line — one that added left tackle Ikem Ekwonu, center Bradley Bozeman and guard Austin Corbett, whom the Browns chose one round after Mayfield in 2018 — compared to its 2021 version and a receiving corps of D.J. Moore, Robbie Anderson and 2021 second-round pick Terrace Marshall Jr. The prospect of a healthy Christian McCaffrey has taunted the Panthers and their fanbase for two years now, but the former All-Pro running back is returning to his spot as well. Mayfield appears to be planning to gather Panthers skill players for a pre-camp workout, Newton tweets.
At the draft, the Browns were not prepared to pay much more than $3MM of Mayfield’s salary. They ended up moving to $10.5MM. The Panthers did not want to cough up more than $5MM for Mayfield, SI.com’s Albert Breer tweets, leading to the pay-cut request. But the Panthers managed to add a former No. 1 pick, resisting the temptation to reach for one of this year’s QB prospects with the No. 6 choice — which became Ekwonu.
While Mayfield’s pay cut and the Panthers agreeing to cover part of the cost saves the Browns upwards of $8MM in cap space, this still could mark a massive descent for Cleveland’s quarterback position — for 2022 at least. The Browns have gone from a 2022 reality of deploying a healthier Mayfield to trotting out Deshaun Watson — after a short suspension — to facing the prospect of Jacoby Brissett being needed for a full season of QB1 work. The Browns did not foresee a season-long Watson suspension — which has become the NFL’s preferred ban — when they traded for him, and neither they nor Mayfield appeared to make inroads toward repairing the relationship.
As previously noted, a Jimmy Garoppolo trade was not in play for the Panthers. They had expressed reservations about the 49ers QB’s injuries and, based on the extensive haggling over Mayfield’s contract, were not taking on Garoppolo’s $24.2MM salary. Carolina viewed Mayfield as a higher-floor option than Garoppolo, per Charles Robinson of Yahoo.com (on Twitter). Wednesday’s transaction cost Garoppolo, who has dealt with more injuries than Mayfield over the past four seasons, a prime landing spot. The 49ers may now need to wait on a training camp injury to unload Garoppolo in a trade. Certain NFL evaluators have expected San Francisco to simply release Garoppolo, whose base salary becomes guaranteed in Week 1.
Seattle would make sense as a Garoppolo destination, but chatter out of the Pacific Northwest continues to center around the ongoing Drew Lock–Geno Smith competition. The Seahawks had “lukewarm interest” in acquiring Mayfield, Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times notes. Although the Browns going from Mayfield to Brissett represents a downgrade, the Seahawks moving from Russell Wilson to either Lock or Smith would surpass that. The Broncos giving up their 2023 first- and second-round picks gives the Seahawks options next year — what is expected to be a better quarterback draft — but the team appears on the doorstep of giving Wilson’s old job to a highly scrutinized passer.