Baker Mayfield

Panthers’ Draft Plan

April 17th, 2022 at 2:08pm CST by Ely Allen

Carolina’s draft plans are becoming foggier and foggier each day as the Panthers are either really running through all of their options or else they are throwing up one heck of a smokescreen. Supporting a rumor we posted almost two weeks ago, Carolina will host NC State offensive lineman Ikem Ekwonu and Mississippi State offensive tackle Charles Cross this Tuesday for their 30 visits, according to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated.

Breer goes on to posit what many have deduced at this point from Carolina’s actions: if either of two of the Draft’s top offensive linemen fall to the Panthers’ first-round pick at sixth overall, Carolina would be expected to pounce at the opportunity to select them. This would fill a huge need at offensive tackle for the Panthers, but would leave another position need behind center unaddressed. The assumption is that, if the Panthers draft Ekwonu or Cross, they would address their need at quarterback by going after a veteran option like Baker Mayfield or Jimmy Garoppolo.

This take seems to be diametrically opposed to multiple other takes we’ve heard in the last four days alone. On Wednesday, we heard that Carolina was considering trading their No. 6 overall pick to grab a few additional draft picks. Yesterday, we reported on rumors that “the consensus of the people in this league” is that Carolina is going to draft one of two quarterbacks: Malik Willis out of Liberty or Kenny Pickett of Pittsburgh. Six hours later, we reported that the Panthers were reversing course on statements made in March about their lack of interest in Mayfield and, in fact, had the inside track to acquire the Browns’ quarterback.

That last report is the only one that lines up with Breer’s assertion from this morning. That could either point to some much anticipated clarification on the Panthers’ draft plans or it could be some expert mind-trickery by general manager Scott Fitterer and head coach Matt Rhule. Sandwiched between the Giants’ two top-seven picks (No. 5 & No. 7), the Panthers’ draft needs are not far off from those of New York. So these mind-games could be targeted specifically at one franchise. Those early reports that Carolina would draft Willis or Pickett could’ve been aimed to put pressure on New York to take a quarterback with their first pick, increasing the odds that an offensive lineman like Ekwonu or Cross falls to them at six. Similarly, the increased reports that the Panthers want Ekwonu or Cross and will sign a veteran quarterback may be aimed to take that pressure off of New York, lulling the Giants into selecting an offensive lineman and giving Carolina more options at quarterback in the first round.

It’s a lot to follow and mostly going in circles, I know, but Carolina can afford to focus this much attention on their No. 6 pick because, with no selections in the second or third round, their second pick of the draft comes at the end of the fourth round slotted as 137th overall. While the scouting brass may have plans to acquire extra picks, their current situation makes their decision surrounding the sixth pick their most important decision of the offseason.

I honestly don’t know whether to tell you to expect things to get clearer or muddier as we get closer to the 2022 NFL Draft. The idea that Carolina is purposefully driving the narrative could even be proved false and we may find out that they truly have no idea what they want to do. Stay locked in as I’m sure this isn’t the last we’ll hear out of Carolina in the next week and a half.

Latest On Panthers, Baker Mayfield

April 16th, 2022 at 3:34pm CST by Sam Robinson

Previously mentioned as being uninterested in Baker Mayfield, the Panthers look to be reversing course. Carolina now has the inside track to acquire the disgruntled quarterback from Cleveland, Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer notes.

During his much-discussed podcast appearance this week, Mayfield mentioned the Seahawks as his most likely destination. But the former No. 1 overall pick was unsure, as his offseason has now seen him drift into limbo following the Browns’ Deshaun Watson trade. A Panthers deal would be interesting. Not only has Mayfield been reported to be unenthused about playing with Carolina, Robby Anderson recently tweeted he would not be excited about such a deal. During an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport also mentioned the Panthers as the most likely Mayfield team (video link).

Carolina, however, makes sense as a Mayfield suitor. Matt Rhule is on the hot seat, and GM Scott Fitterer said the team will likely have to compromise its board to draft a quarterback at No. 6. Mayfield would give the Panthers an instant starter, one who would likely be an upgrade on every Panthers QB situation since before injuries derailed Cam Newton‘s career. It would also pair Mayfield with Sam Darnold, giving the Panthers an interesting setup featuring the first two QBs drafted in 2018. Like Mayfield, Darnold is tied to a fully guaranteed fifth-year option salary ($18.9MM).

While it would seem Mayfield lacks options at this point, Cabot adds the fifth-year passer has “several” interested teams. The Seahawks would seemingly be in this mix. Others certainly would if the Browns cut him, but they are not expected to do so. A trade is tentatively expected to be completed by the draft. Otherwise, Mayfield’s market could shrink further, with certain teams set to make seminal QB decisions in the first and second rounds.

The Browns hope to resolve their newly awkward QB situation soon, rather than carry Mayfield on their roster deep into the offseason. It seems he will beat Jimmy Garoppolo to the transaction wire. It will be interesting if the Panthers or another team convinces the Browns to take on part of Mayfield’s salary. The Browns doing so would stand to increase the level of trade compensation.

These Mayfield rumblings come after the Panthers completed a busy week of quarterback evaluations. They hosted six QB prospects this week, and buzz around the league is pointing to a Carolina QB choice. It would not be out of the question for Carolina to acquire Mayfield and use its first-round pick on a passer, the likelier scenario would be the team trading for Mayfield and either taking a non-QB in Round 1 or trading the pick. Lacking any picks in Rounds 2 and 3, the Panthers have discussed moving down with a few teams.

Latest On Panthers QB Plans

April 16th, 2022 at 9:38am CST by Ben Levine

While the NFL’s quarterback carousel is just about complete, we still don’t have clarity on the Panthers’ QB position. Heading into the offseason, GM Scott Fitterer admitted that the quarterback job was “open,” but after losing out in the Deshaun Watson sweepstakes, Fitterer walked back his remarks and stated that incumbent Sam Darnold was in the lead for the starting nod. Now, with the NFL Draft coming up at the end of the month, the organization still isn’t ruling out selecting a QB with the No. 6 pick.

According to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, the “consensus of the people in this league” is that the Panthers will ultimately select a QB in the upcoming draft, with Malik Willis and Kenny Pickett considered the favorites. While Albert Breer of SI.com agrees with the QB sentiment, he hasn’t heard as much buzz about Pickett, and “with jobs on the line this year,” the organization may play it safe by taking the most NFL-ready option. Besides Willis, Breer also points to Matt Corral and Desmond Ridder as options. Sam Howell and Bailey Zappe were also included in the team’s 30 allotted prospect visits.

We learned recently that a trade down is a real possibility, and that could ultimately open the door to the Panthers selecting a quarterback with their first-round pick. The popular sentiment has been that No. 6 is too early to select from this year’s crop of quarterbacks. However, a trade for a mid-first would be “more palatable” for the front office.

While the Panthers could look to a first-round QB, Darnold still believes he’s ready to compete for the starting gig. Following an inconsistent start to his career with the Jets, Darnold underwhelmed during his first season with the Panthers, guiding the team to a 4-7 record while tossing nine touchdowns vs. 13 interceptions.

“It’s truly whatever happens happens, because at the end of the day it’s out of my control, and I know that,” Darnold,said during a recent podcast appearance (via ESPN’s David Newton). “I have enough security in myself where I can say, ‘I know I’m a good quarterback. I know I can be a good quarterback in this league. I’ve proved it.’

“And I know there’s a team, if something happens, that would want me.”

Meanwhile, following whispers that the Panthers could be the most likely landing spot for Browns QB Baker Mayfield, Panthers receiver Robby Anderson made it pretty clear what his feelings were on the rumors. On Instagram, Anderson commented “Nooooo” under a picture connecting Mayfield to Carolina (h/t Brad Stainbrook of CBS Sports on Twitter).

Latest On Browns QB Baker Mayfield

April 13th, 2022 at 9:52pm CST by Ben Levine

Baker Mayfield is on his way out in Cleveland, and the quarterback is starting to speak his mind about the entire situation. After being bumped to the trade block following the Browns’ acquisition of Deshaun Watson, Mayfield stated that he’s felt disrespected throughout the whole ordeal.

“I feel disrespected 100% because I was told one thing and they completely did another,” Mayfield said during his appearance on the “Ya Neva Know: You Know What I Mean?” podcast (via Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal). “That’s what I’m in the middle of right now. And you know what? OK. I got my taste of it because I’ve had four different head coaches in four years, a bunch of different coordinators. I’ve had the highs, and they always come back.”

Mayfield is referring to statements made by Andrew Berry back in January, when the GM said he fully expected the former first-overall pick to be under center for Cleveland in 2022. Things have obviously changed following the blockbuster acquisition of Watson, and while it hasn’t been explicitly stated, there’s no way the Browns enter next season with Mayfield still on the roster.

We heard recently that the Browns were struggling to find a suitor for Mayfield, but Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports notes that neither side wants this tension to linger deep into the offseason. In fact, the reporter believes we could get a resolution in the coming weeks. So where could Mayfield land? The quarterback has some of his own theories.

“Um … Seattle?” Mayfield said during his podcast appearance (via Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times). “I mean it’d probably be the most likely option. But even then, I have no idea.”

Deshaun Watson Could Be Suspended For Only Four Games; “No Market” For Baker Mayfield

April 3rd, 2022 at 10:36am CST by Rory Parks

We recently heard that new Browns QB Deshaun Watson would not end up on the Commissioner’s Exempt list since he will not be criminally charged in connection with the sexual assault allegations for which he is still facing 22 civil suits. And, as Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com writes, the absence of criminal charges may also help Watson avoid a lengthy suspension.

Per Cabot, league investigators will view the grand jury non-indictments as “mitigating factors” when it comes to doling out punishment to the embattled passer. A suspension may not be put in place until the civil matter is resolved — and Cleveland will not pressure Watson to settle the suits — but when the NFL’s investigation concludes and a decision is made, Cabot hears that Watson could be hit with a six-game ban that gets reduced to four games.

That would obviously count as a huge victory for the Browns, who gave up a bounty of draft capital and a market-altering contract to acquire Watson in a move that many pundits have classified as desperate. Winning, though, has a way of rewriting history, and if Watson escapes all of his legal troubles with only a four-game suspension (at least as far as on-field ramifications are concerned), Cleveland will have a very good chance of winning in 2022 and beyond.

Of course, the Browns are still rostering Baker Mayfield, an awkward reality that would become even more awkward if they are forced to retain him throughout the 2022 season. GM Andrew Berry recently said he would be willing to do so, but that surely is just a bit of posturing. Berry obviously wants to trade the former No. 1 overall pick, and he is content to wait until a starting quarterback on another club suffers an injury and creates a QB need for that club. According to Cabot, Berry may need to do just that, because there is “no market” for Mayfield at this point.

Still, Cabot says Berry does not want to give Mayfield away or include one of his own draft picks in a trade to entice another team to assume Mayfield’s contract. She writes that the plan remains to have newly-signed QB Jacoby Brissett, and not Mayfield, operate as the starting signal-caller in the event of a Watson suspension. The one-year deal that Brissett signed with the Browns last month has a base value of $4.65MM, almost all of which ($4.5MM) is guaranteed, as Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network tweets. Brissett will have a chance to earn more via incentives, including, perhaps, play-time incentives that could be realized if/when Brissett stands in for Watson.

One more item on Mayfield: his disenchantment with the Browns was intensified in the wake of a report that surfaced prior to the Watson trade indicating that the team was looking for “an adult” at the quarterback position (thus implying that Mayfield is not, in fact, an adult). Per team owner Jimmy Haslam, that comment did not come from the Cleveland front office (Twitter link via Jeff Schudel of the News-Herald).

Latest On Browns, Baker Mayfield

April 2nd, 2022 at 10:50am CST by Zachary Links

Now that the Browns have Deshaun Watson, they’re ready to move on from Baker Mayfield. Trading him, however, could be easier said than done. This week at the league meetings, Browns GM Andrew Berry told reporters that there’s a scenario in which Mayfield remains on the team in 2022.

“We feel like we have three good [quarterbacks], and a lot of teams are still looking for one guy, so you don’t mind being deep here,” Berry said (via ESPN.com). “Quarterbacks are valuable. Baker’s a good player and you can’t have enough good players on your roster. … So, we don’t really feel pressed to rush into anything that’s suboptimal.”

Teams likely have concerns about Mayfield’s injured left shoulder — a likely culprit in his down 2021. There’s also his contract, one that carries a fully-guaranteed $18.858MM this year. Meanwhile, interested clubs know that the Browns aren’t really looking to hang on to Mayfield as Watson’s backup, given the former first-round pick’s base salary and unwillingness to play second fiddle.

It’s unlikely that Mayfield will show for the Browns’ voluntary offseason program on April 19, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, but he could potentially be there for mandatory minicamp from June 14-16. Effectively, it’ll be a move by Mayfield to prevent a breach of contract.

It’s possible that the Browns could swing a trade sometime around draft weekend. In the meantime, Mayfield is busy throwing to a group of non-Browns players, including Cole Beasley, Danny Amendola, and Alex Bachman.

Panthers’ Plans At Quarterback

March 26th, 2022 at 9:52pm CST by Ely Allen

After losing out on the Deshaun Watson-sweepstakes, the Panthers have maintained that they still intend to add another quarterback to the roster, according to Nick Shook of NFL.com. In a press conference covered by Shook and Joseph Person of The Athletic, general manager Scott Fitterer laid out the team’s plans moving forward.

Answering the obvious question, quarterbacks Sam Darnold and P.J. Walker are still under contract and will be afforded every opportunity to earn the starting job moving forward. The issue there lies in the fact that they’ve already been given such an opportunity and the question of future quarterback is still being asked as a result. Fitterer did inform reporters that head coach Matt Rhule had talked with a free agent signing from last year, Cam Newton. On the matter, Fitterer said, “The thing with Cam, it’s gotta be a fit for us and it’s gotta be a fit for him, just as well. He’s looking for a certain opportunity. The door’s still open for us.”

The free agent quarterback market really cleared out after Watson’s trade to Cleveland. There are still some NFL-experienced options in the trade market, though. As of now, Fitterer asserts that they haven’t heard from San Francisco or Cleveland about Jimmy Garoppolo or Baker Mayfield. Since phones tend to have the ability to both send AND receive calls, it stands to reason that the Panthers not reaching out to initiate conversations over the available quarterbacks is a reflection of their level of interest. Still, Fitterer claims that they are open to receiving calls from the 49ers or Browns. They do have the luxury of waiting, possibly even until after the Draft, as there doesn’t seem to be any urgent interest in Garoppolo or Mayfield.

The most likely path, and the one most desired by Fitterer, is through the 2022 NFL Draft. Rhule and Fitterer were in attendance for Kenny Pickett’s pro day workout at Pitt and Malik Willis’ workout at Liberty. Rhule went to Mississippi’s pro day to watch Matt Corral. The only reason they didn’t go the Cincinnati to watch Desmond Ridder is because they already worked extensively with the Bearcat quarterback at the Senior Bowl and Combine. They still sent a scout and two personnel executives, though.

Suffice it to say that the Panthers have made it extremely clear that they are taking a good look at this year’s quarterback class. With the sixth pick in the first round of the Draft, Carolina could very likely take a quarterback and very well may the first team to do so, giving them their pick of the litter.

Fitterer preached a philosophy of building a team around a young quarterback on a reasonably low contract, like the Seahawks did with Russell Wilson during Fitterer’s tenure in Seattle. The only issue with this philosophy is that Rhule’s seat is getting hotter with each loss. He may not feel he has the leash to develop a young quarterback surrounded by veterans. If Rhule feels like he’s in a win-now scenario, he may push for the team to trade for one of the more proven assets like Garoppolo or Mayfield.

The route that ends up getting taken in Carolina will likely say a lot about the alignment of Rhule and Fitterer, who arrived one year after the head coach. If the team makes a move to trade for a league veteran, Fitterer likely wants to give Rhule the tools to keep his job. If the teams sits pat and waits until the Draft to address the position, it could be assumed that Fitterer is willing to let Rhule test his luck in order to build a team around his own philosophy.

Latest On Baker Mayfield’s Status With Browns

March 25th, 2022 at 9:56pm CST by Ely Allen

We updated recently how Cleveland was intent on giving quarterback Baker Mayfield a fresh start immediately. Well, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Browns are not likely to release Mayfield should they fail to find a trade partner for the 26-year-old.

According to Rapoport, Cleveland has had talks with squads who have interest in trading for Mayfield, but the 2022 salary due to Mayfield of $18.86MM is currently preventing a deal from being made. Rapoport posits that perhaps a deal could get worked out by Mayfield’s agent and a potential new team wherein a portion of his salary is covered by the Browns, but Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported days ago that Cleveland is not interested in paying part of Mayfield’s fifth-year option salary to facilitate a trade.

The Seahawks still appear on the radar after inquiring about the disgruntled quarterback, but they are looking for a certain price point and the assumption is that the Browns have not yet come close to it. When the Browns informed Mayfield that they would attempt to accommodate him with a trade deal, Baker mentioned the Colts as a team of interest, while also stating he had no interest in going to Detroit, Carolina, or Houston. The Colts, though, took the route of acquiring Matt Ryan in a trade with the Falcons.

Another team that’s communicated interest in Mayfield is the Steelers, who Cabot mentioned would “pounce” on Mayfield if the Browns were to release him. Newly acquired quarterback Mitchell Trubisky‘s relatively low-cost deal averaging $7.14MM per year makes it extremely feasible for Pittsburgh to go after a big name quarterback in the free agent market.

Two more factors possibly obstructing a deal from being reached are the availability of another proven starter Jimmy Garoppolo and the surgery Mayfield underwent on his non-throwing shoulder just after the 2021 NFL season. Also, Cleveland doesn’t expect a first-round pick in exchange for Mayfield. They know they’ll have to look elsewhere to recoup any of the first-rounders lost acquiring Deshaun Watson from Houston.

The Brown’s will likely continue working towards finding a new home for Mayfield, but Rapoport warns us not to expect them to cut him in an attempt to help. If an ideal trade partner fails to emerge, the Browns could be well-served in holding on to their starter of the last four years should their new quarterback, Watson, face a suspension to start the 2022 season.

Latest On Browns’ Baker Mayfield Trade Talks, Deshaun Watson Deal

March 23rd, 2022 at 6:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

The flurry of quarterback moves has left the Browns with few options regarding their previous starter. The team is not planning to hold onto Baker Mayfield in hopes of an injury changing the marketplace, preferring to give him a fresh start immediately.

Cleveland hopes to unload Mayfield soon, Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer notes in an expansive piece, but the team should not be expected to receive a great return. In addition to the reduced market, the Browns are not interested in paying part of Mayfield’s fifth-year option salary ($18.9MM) to facilitate a trade, Cabot adds. Mayfield requested a trade shortly before the Browns made their historic offer to Deshaun Watson.

Despite Sam Darnold fetching three draft choices — including a 2022 second-rounder — from the Panthers last year, the Browns have limited options for their more proven starter. Darnold’s disappointing season notwithstanding, the Panthers are not believed to be interested in Mayfield. The Seahawks do still appear on the radar, with Cabot indicating they have inquired on the disgruntled QB and may become more open to a deal at a certain price point. The Browns are not expecting a first-round pick here; they would need to explore another avenue to recoup one of the first-rounders they lost by trading for Watson.

While this saga is not at the point where the Browns are considering releasing Mayfield, Cabot adds if that were to happen the Steelers would be interested (video link). Pittsburgh gave Mitchell Trubisky a two-year contract, but his barely $7MM-per-year salary leaves the team open to exploring other options or drafting a passer early.

Although the Watson-to-Cleveland buzz picked up after the Combine, Cabot reports the Browns informed Mayfield’s camp in Indianapolis they would only attempt to replace him with an elite QB like Watson or Russell Wilson. After the Browns informed him they would aim to accommodate Mayfield in a trade, the QB did not list the Lions, Panthers or Texans as desirable spots and was instead intrigued by the Colts. Indy discussed Mayfield with Cleveland but made a deal to acquire Matt Ryan.

Additionally, Cabot reports Mayfield’s trade request did not spur the Browns to make their monster offer for Watson, who is now signed to a $230MM fully guaranteed contract. Watson did narrow his list to the Falcons and Saints, but his camp is believed to have brought the Browns back into the mix. Cleveland’s fully guaranteed proposal partially surfaced to convince Watson to play in a cold-weather city.

That process — and the subsequent QB decisions from Indy, Atlanta and New Orleans — has left Mayfield and with few options. Jimmy Garoppolo‘s status further complicates the Mayfield matter, as does the surgery Mayfield underwent on his non-throwing shoulder. The coming days could determine how much the Seahawks truly like Drew Lock, as they have indicated at every turn since acquiring him, or if they are willing to part with modest draft capital for a more experienced option.

Panthers Not Interested In Baker Mayfield?

March 22nd, 2022 at 2:42pm CST by Sam Robinson

Already attempting to replace one member of the 2018 quarterback class, the Panthers would make sense as a suitor for another. They have been linked to a few quarterbacks as Sam Darnold upgrades, but Baker Mayfield may not appeal to the QB-needy franchise.

Carolina is not believed to be interested in trading for Mayfield, David Newton of ESPN.com tweets. Mayfield’s camp did engage in discussions with the Panthers recently, per The Athletic’s Jeff Howe, but it does not sound like anything is brewing (subscription required).

For what it’s worth, Mayfield is also uninterested in being traded to the Panthers, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com notes. But with the Colts trading for Matt Ryan and other teams having previously checked off their QB needs, options for the Browns on Mayfield are dwindling.

Like Darnold, Mayfield is attached to a fully guaranteed fifth-year option salary. Both QBs check in at $18.9MM for 2022. Mayfield sought a trade to the Colts, but they were not as interested. The Seahawks have loomed as an interested party, but if the Panthers are not pursuing him as well, the Browns’ trade compensation will be limited. The Panthers sent second-, fourth- and sixth-round picks to the Jets for Darnold last year. Despite Mayfield having enjoyed a better start to his career than his 2018 classmate, the former No. 1 overall draft choice is unlikely to fetch that kind of return for the Browns.

The Broncos, Steelers, Commanders, Colts, Saints and Falcons have joined the Browns in making moves to acquire a long-term starter or a bridge QB this offseason. The Buccaneers saw their legendary passer quickly unretire. All this limits the market for Mayfield and Jimmy Garoppolo. The Seahawks make less sense for Garoppolo. Intra-divisional QB trades have happened, in the cases of Drew Bledsoe and Donovan McNabb earlier this century, but are very rare. The Panthers would be a better fit for Garoppolo, but if they do not view he or Mayfield as sufficient upgrades, this is a clear team to monitor in the draft.

Matt Rhule, GM Scott Fitterer and new OC Ben McAdoo went to Kenny Pickett‘s pro day Monday and were at Malik Willis‘ Tuesday, Newton notes. The Panthers have been linked to both players. Mike Tomlin, Steelers OC Matt Canada and front office personnel trekked to Willis’ pro day, Joe Person of The Athletic tweets. Atlanta and Washington had front office staffers there as well. Holding the No. 6 overall pick — behind the Jaguars, Lions, Texans, Jets and Giants — the Panthers are in good position to be able to select this draft’s top QB there. Formerly a higher-profile prospect than either Willis or Pickett, Mayfield remains in limbo after the Browns replaced him with Deshaun Watson.

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