Bucs Expected To Pursue QB Baker Mayfield
The Buccaneers are expected to pursue free agent quarterback Baker Mayfield when free agency opens this week, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (via Twitter). Given its difficult salary cap situation, Tampa Bay is in need of an experienced starting QB option with a fairly low price tag, and Mayfield — whose market value is roughly $6.5MM per year on a two-year contract, per Spotrac — fits that bill.
Mayfield, the No. 1 overall pick of the Browns in the 2018 draft, had an up-and-down tenure in Cleveland. After a promising rookie campaign and a sophomore slump, Mayfield appeared to breakout in 2020 in the offense installed by new head coach Kevin Stefanski. He led the club to an 11-5 record and a playoff victory, throwing for 26 TDs against just eight interceptions and posting a 95.9 quarterback rating. 
However, a regression in 2021 precipitated the Browns’ aggressive pursuit of Deshaun Watson last offseason, and Cleveland ultimately traded Mayfield to the Panthers in July. Though the Oklahoma product beat out Sam Darnold for Carolina’s QB1 post, his time in Charlotte was an unmitigated disaster, and he was waived in December.
Mayfield rebuilt his stock a bit with a decent five-game run with the Rams to close out the 2022 season, though it seems unlikely he will simply be handed a starting job somewhere. In Tampa, he would at least have a real chance to become a starter again, as he would be competing with Kyle Trask, a 2021 second-rounder who has thrown a grand total of nine passes in his pro career.
The Rams’ apparent rebuild has led some to wonder if veteran starter Matthew Stafford would be traded in a cost-cutting move, something which would open the door to Mayfield being able to carry on from where he left off in Los Angeles. GM Les Snead recently made it clear, however, that Stafford is one of a few core players who are likely to be retained over the coming years.
That leaves Mayfield as one of many signal-callers set to hit the open market, one which already features Carson Wentz and Marcus Mariota since they were released by the Commanders and Falcons, respectively. Mayfield joins that pair in terms of highly-drafted QBs who have fallen well short of expectations given their draft stock, but who could still provide some upside under the right circumstances. Other options remain on the table for the Buccaneers, however.
Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports that the Bucs have interest in not only Mayfield, but Jacoby Brissett and Blaine Gabbert as well (Twitter link). The latter served as Tom Brady‘s backup over the course of their three seasons spent in Tampa, so he would of course be a familiar face if he were to be re-signed. The former had a stint as the Browns’ starter while Watson was suspended in 2022, and will be looking to parlay that into a deal allowing him to compete for playing time.
The Dolphins will not be suitors for Mayfield, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald tweets. Miami will have Tua Tagovailoa on the books for at least the next two years, since they are picking up his fifth-year option. However, a veteran insurance policy is expected to be a high priority for the Dolphins; their search will lead them away from Mayfield, but he still figures to have suitors aiming to give him an opportunity to resurrect his career.
Adam La Rose contributed to this post.
NFC Free Agency Rumors: Mayfield, Williams, Cominsky, Gipson, Beachum
Former Browns and Panthers quarterback Baker Mayfield was brought in as an emergency option for the Rams last year after an injury to starter Matthew Stafford and ineffective starts by backup John Wolford. Mayfield would go on to win two of five games for the Rams to end a disastrous season in Los Angeles, but after ending the year as the Rams’ starter, Mayfield is not expected to re-sign in LA, according to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated.
Breer posits that Mayfield will only want to play for a team that will allow him to compete for the starting quarterback job or for a system in which he believes he can unseat the starting quarterback. This could see the former Heisman winner headed back to Texas in Houston or any potential sites such as Atlanta, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Pittsburgh, or Tampa Bay. As long as Stafford remains in Los Angeles, though, it appears that Mayfield will not want to remain as a solidified backup.
Here are a few other free agency rumors from around the conference:
- Following an incredible breakout season in Detroit, there is reportedly mutual interest between the Lions and Jamaal Williams in signing a new contract, according to Nolan Bianchi of The Detroit News. The statement comes from Lions executive vice president and general manager Brad Holmes who discovered the interest during preliminary discussions with unrestricted free agents. Williams led the league with 17 rushing touchdowns last season while also recording career-highs in touches (274) and total yardage (1,139).
- Another Lion bound for free agency, versatile defensive end John Cominsky is set to earn an impressive new contract following a breakout year in Detroit. According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, Cominsky could earn over $5MM per year in a new deal. Waived last offseason by Atlanta, Cominsky received plenty of interest on the waiver wire with eight teams reportedly submitting claims. It’s no question of why as the defensive lineman’s breakout season came as he played through a broken thumb.
- Following his first season in San Francisco, the 49ers are reportedly interested in bringing back veteran safety Tashaun Gipson, according to Matt Barrows of The Athletic. Gipson had a resurgent season in the Bay Area reeling in five interceptions and returning them for a total of 141 yards, harkening back to his first few years in Cleveland. Gipson and longtime 49er Jimmie Ward are both bound for free agency, and San Francisco will likely strive to bring one of them back to start alongside second-year safety Talanoa Hufanga who earned first-team All-Pro honors in 2022.
- Cardinals starting right tackle Kelvin Beachum is currently headed towards free agency after three years in Arizona. Freelance journalist and former Cardinals staff writer Mike Jurecki would like to see Arizona re-sign the veteran heading into his age 34 season, but it’s a big ask for a team that has capable starters in D.J. Humphries and Josh Jones at tackle. With two players already under contract, it’ll be difficult to convince the Cardinals’ brass to bring Beachum back. Beachum may have priced himself out of Arizona as Jurecki points out that there will certainly be a market for the veteran who is still playing well.
Ravens Rumors: Oliver, Robinson, Mayfield
As the Ravens face the offseason, the biggest free agency question on everyone’s mind is clearly what will happen with star quarterback Lamar Jackson. While everyone is focused on that, general manager Eric DeCosta and company have plenty of other free agents to deal with, as detailed recently by Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic.
One of the more intriguing free agents Baltimore must handle is tight end Josh Oliver. Acquired for a modest price from the Jaguars two years ago, Oliver was brought in to serve as a number three tight end behind receiving specialist Mark Andrews and blocking specialist Nick Boyle. Injuries to Boyle forced Oliver into a much larger role and over the past two seasons, Oliver has filled in and continued to improve.
At first glance, it seems like an easy decision for Baltimore to allow Oliver to walk as, despite waiving Boyle, the Ravens still have Andrews and two second-year tight ends in Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar behind him. Oliver may have carved out his role on the offense last year, though, playing in Boyle’s stead. While Andrews is a formidable blocker, Likely and Kolar were both elite receiving options in college. Oliver’s biggest impact and improvements this past season were in the running game as a blocker. At only 25 years old, it may make sense for him to find space on the roster of a team that has never shied away from its love of tight ends.
Here are a couple other free agent rumors out of Charm City:
- Another question that Zrebiec poses in Baltimore surrounds free agent wide receiver Demarcus Robinson. Robinson was an under-the-radar signing late in the preseason for the Ravens, but he likely gave the offense more than they expected out of him. After catching a career-high 48 passes for 458 yards and two touchdowns, Robinson has appeared to have interest in returning to Baltimore. The Ravens are likely looking to upgrade their receivers room in every way possible, though, and currently, it’s unclear where Robinson fits. Robinson likely benefitted from the missed snaps of Rashod Bateman and Devin Duvernay, both of whom found their way to injured reserve last year. If the team can add a few weapons and get a healthy Bateman and Duvernay, will they decide to bring back Robinson, as well?
- One position that definitely makes sense for the Ravens to upgrade in free agency is backup quarterback. In a more recent breakdown, Zrebiec discussed why it would be important to sign an established backup. The past two seasons in Baltimore have ended with Jackson on the sideline dealing with injury. In the 12 games that Jackson has either sat out or left with injury in the last two years, the Ravens are 4-8, not including their lone playoff loss without Jackson. Teams like the 49ers and Cowboys displayed this year the value of having backup quarterbacks capable of winning games. Pushed into play due to injury, backup quarterbacks Cooper Rush, Jimmy Garoppolo, and Brock Purdy went a combined 16-4 in their regular season starts. While Rush is available, as are other options like Sam Darnold, Jacoby Brissett, and Andy Dalton, Baker Mayfield may make the most sense. Mayfield is an affordable option after flaming out a bit in Cleveland and Carolina, but he showed he still has the ability to compete in the waning games of the season with the Rams. He’s fairly young, having been drafted the same year as Jackson, while still experienced, and he specifically has experience in the AFC North. Mayfield also has a formidable talent for running the ball that wouldn’t require new offensive coordinator Todd Monken to switch things up too much when he’s in. Whether or not the former division rival is the answer, it’s become clear that backups Tyler Huntley and Anthony Brown can’t carry the team when Jackson is absent.
QB Notes: Jets, Pickett, Chiefs, Carr
Zach Wilson will start for the Jets in Week 16, Robert Saleh confirmed. This was the expected Jets path, given the updates on Mike White‘s injured ribs. The short-week assignment made White’s road back tougher, and the team’s preferred starter will have a mini-bye to recover ahead of a possible Week 17 return. White attempted to receive clearance from as many as 10 independent doctors last week, and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com adds he is still consulting with doctors. But the Jets are proceeding cautiously with the fifth-year passer. Saleh does not believe the injury White suffered against the Bills is a season-ending malady, Brian Costello of the New York Post tweets. White is due for unrestricted free agency in March.
Here is the latest from the quarterback landscape:
- After Mitch Trubisky played in most of the past two Steelers games, the team is ready to move its rookie back into action. Mike Tomlin expects Kenny Pickett to start Saturday against the Raiders, Teresa Varley of Steelers.com tweets. Pickett has now sustained two concussions this season.
- The conditional 2024 pick the Browns obtained from the Panthers for Baker Mayfield will be a fifth-round choice, David Newton of ESPN.com notes (via Twitter). Mayfield needed to hit the 70% snap barrier with the Panthers. The new Rams starter did not come especially close to that, being demoted and then waived.
- Derek Carr‘s recent Raiders extension — a three-year, $121.4MM pact — gives the team a three-day window following Super Bowl LVII to jettison the quarterback and save $40.5MM. Carr trade rumors are nothing new; he loomed as a trade candidate for much of the Jon Gruden period. But a GM informed the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora he does expect Carr to finally be dealt. Despite the Raiders’ struggles, Carr ranks 10th in QBR. The team’s blockbuster trade for Carr college teammate Davante Adams also might make a trade a tough sell, and the prospect of the Raiders needing to find an upgrade — an impediment to a trade during Gruden’s stay — also makes this a risky path. In his ninth season and having made 141 career starts, Carr is the longest-tenured starting quarterback in Raiders history.
- Making a push for a second MVP, Patrick Mahomes offered a bit of insight on how he ended up in Kansas City. The sixth-year Chiefs passer said, after a productive meeting with Andy Reid ahead of the 2017 draft, he spoke with multiple teams who indicated they would draft him. During an appearance on Travis and Jason Kelce‘s New Heights podcast (video link), Mahomes said he informed the Chiefs they would need to trade up to at least No. 11 to land him. Mahomes said he did not know the extent of the Saints’ interest at the time — New Orleans held the No. 11 pick — but the Cardinals’ affinity for then-Texas Tech prospect has been known for some time. Arizona picked 13th that year. The Browns also traded their No. 12 pick to the Texans, who chose Deshaun Watson. The Chiefs traded their No. 27 choice, a 2017 third-rounder and their 2018 first to the Bills to secure the No. 10 draft slot. That ended up being a franchise-changing decision.
Rams Considering Starting Baker Mayfield Vs. Raiders
Despite acquiring Baker Mayfield less than two days ago via waivers, the Rams are already considering giving him game work. There is a “real chance” the former Browns and Panthers starter plays for his new team Thursday night, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.
It seems the team’s preference is for John Wolford to make another start, but Adam Schefter of ESPN.com notes (via Twitter) that Matthew Stafford‘s original backup not being healthy enough to return from a neck injury would lead to Mayfield getting the nod against the Raiders. This would be quite the step for the recently relocated quarterback, especially when considering the Rams’ mini-bye ends with a Week 15 Monday-night game. Wolford, who has made two starts for the Rams this season, is listed as questionable.
Being informed he would be demoted to Carolina’s third-string quarterback, Mayfield requested to be cut. The Panthers obliged. Only the Rams submitted a claim. Mayfield is believed to be up to speed on the Rams’ Week 14 game plan, per Pelissero, though he will presumably be quite limited for functionality in Sean McVay‘s offense at this point. Mayfield last started in Week 11 — a 13-3 Panthers loss to the Ravens.
Mayfield is both going through the worst season of his career and potentially set to take the reins for a Rams team having (thus far) the worst season by a defending Super Bowl champion. The Rams’ 3-9 record is the worst by a defending champ through 12 games. No quarterback has finished a season with a worse QBR figure than Mayfield’s 17.8 number since 2010. Los Angeles is without Cooper Kupp, Allen Robinson and multiple offensive line starters. The team let left guard David Edwards‘ injury-activation window close Wednesday; the veteran starter is now out for the season.
Stafford’s IR stay created a void for the Rams at quarterback. Although Bryce Perkins made a start against the Chiefs two weeks ago, Mayfield looks to have already surpassed him in L.A.’s pecking order here. Mayfield is on the Rams’ payroll at $1.35MM for the rest of the season. How he fares down the stretch stands to affect his market and potentially a future Rams compensatory draft pick, in the event the parties part ways at season’s end.
Rams Claim QB Baker Mayfield
The Rams-Baker Mayfield buzz will lead to a claim. Mayfield is headed to Los Angeles, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The Rams held the fourth spot in the Week 14 waiver priority.
L.A. will pick up the remaining $1.35MM left on the former No. 1 overall pick’s contract. Mayfield requested his Panthers release, as The Athletic’s Jeff Howe notes (via Twitter) he was set to be Carolina’s No. 3 quarterback following P.J. Walker‘s return. The former Browns starter could become the Rams’ first-stringer at some point soon.
Although Mayfield’s stock has tumbled since his 2020 divisional-round appearance in Cleveland, Schefter adds the Rams still believe in the ex-Heisman winner’s talent. The prospect of nabbing a compensatory pick also played into this claim (Twitter link). The Rams are not viewing this (yet, at least) through a beyond-2022 lens, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic tweets. The Panthers and Browns’ weeks-long haggling over Mayfield’s fifth-year option salary ended up aiding the Rams here, as Mayfield was tied to just a $4.858MM salary instead of the original $18.9MM option number.
Of course, the chance to upgrade on the John Wolford–Bryce Perkins situation naturally would appeal to the reigning Super Bowl champions, who have the worst 12-game record from a Super Bowl champ (3-9) in history. The Rams do not own their 2023 first-round pick, so losses piling up does not exactly do them any good — unless the second-round draft slot, and so on, is factored in.
Sporting what would be the worst season-ending NFL QBR figure in 12 years (18.3), Mayfield is not in position to net the Rams much in compensatory value. The former Oklahoma star and Offensive Rookie of the Year runner-up has been linked to needing a one-year, “prove it” deal for a bit now. He will head to L.A. with a 6-6 touchdown pass-to-interception ratio, having completed 57.8% of his throws at 6.4 yards per attempt.
Mayfield, 27, fared far better at points in Cleveland. He lost out to Saquon Barkley for OROY acclaim four years ago but showed promise after the Browns’ midseason coaching change. Following a rough 2019 that featured a one-and-done Freddie Kitchens HC stay, Mayfield rebounded to finish 10th in QBR (a 26-TD, eight-INT season) under Kevin Stefanski and pilot the Odell Beckham Jr.-less Browns to the 2020 divisional round. Playing through a shoulder injury cost Mayfield last season, and his Panthers work has been worse. The Rams will attempt to coax better play from the fifth-year arm. Of course, he will be taking over a Rams team that is without Cooper Kupp and Allen Robinson and one that has struggled throughout to run the ball, as its offensive line has encountered numerous injuries.
The Rams playing Mayfield on Thursday night would seem ill-advised, but Schefter tweets there is a shot he sees action against the Raiders. The better bet here is the relocating QB making a push to start in Week 15, when the Rams have a Monday-night tilt against the Packers. That would give the scuffling passer a mini-bye to make an effort to sufficiently grasp McVay’s playbook. While the Panthers were impressed with how quickly Mayfield caught on in Ben McAdoo‘s offense, he had weeks to do so before training camp. The truncated timeframe here will limit how McVay can run his offense, though Wolford, Perkins and a diminished Stafford reduced the Rams’ capabilities as well.
The 49ers did not submit a claim for Mayfield, Schefter tweets, and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com adds (via Twitter) no other team is believed to have submitted a claim. Kyle Shanahan expressed doubt the team would make such a move. With the Rams 3-9, it would not have mattered anyway. The Rams effectively blocked the 49ers from investigating this situation later, however. The NFC West leaders, who swept the Rams this season, are set to roll with Brock Purdy for the time being.
Rams Considering Baker Mayfield Claim
While the 49ers appear hesitant to thrust Baker Mayfield into their Super Bowl push, the defending champions may not allow them that opportunity. The Rams are considering a Mayfield claim, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets.
Internal dialogue is “definitely” taking place among the Rams, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler (on Twitter). Los Angeles holds the No. 4 waiver priority, and Fowler adds expectations point to the Texans, Bears and Broncos — the three teams ahead of the Rams — passing on a claim. Mayfield-Rams buzz is circulating around the league, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes. A report earlier Tuesday indicated Houston, which used its top waiver status to claim Eno Benjamin and Amari Rodgers, is not believed to be interested.
This does represent an anticlimactic scenario, at least compared to how such a move would look in every other Sean McVay-led Rams campaign. Through 12 games, the 3-9 team has the worst record a Super Bowl champion has compiled to this point. No Super Bowl champ has finished with fewer than six wins in a non-strike-shortened season. The Rams adding Mayfield to potentially raise their floor would be a somewhat sobering development, considering where both sides were this offseason.
Then again, a McVay-Mayfield partnership — a setup the latter would be “ready to roll” with, per Fowler — does intrigue. Matthew Stafford is on IR, and the Rams have used both John Wolford and Bryce Perkins as relief options. Losses have stacked up regardless of the quarterback, and the team has a few nationally televised windows remaining. Stafford, who is signed through 2026 via the $40MM-per-year extension he inked this offseason, is almost certainly done for the year.
Mayfield, 27, is ticketed for free agency in March. Then again, he would make it there if no one claims him today. Gauging his fit in McVay’s system would also be interesting through a longer-term lens, as the former Heisman winner’s value has cratered since his 2021 shoulder injury. Mayfield has gone from a player potentially in line for a big-ticket Browns extension to one traded in the Deshaun Watson aftermath — after an injury-plagued 2021 slate — and a passer barreling toward the worst single-season QBR figure since Jimmy Clausen 12 years ago. A Rams pairing and the chance to work with McVay would at least allow Mayfield the opportunity to rebound ahead of free agency.
Texans Not Eyeing Baker Mayfield, Considering Starting Davis Mills?
When it was announced that Baker Mayfield had been let go by the Panthers yesterday, the most logical destination for him seemed to be the 49ers. The NFC West leaders have pushed back against the notion that they are interested in adding him, however, which could lead to a team higher in the waiver priority putting in a claim. 
[RELATED: 49ers Not Expecting To Add Mayfield?]
The Texans, by virtue of having the league’s worst record, sit atop that list. They have already taken advantage of that by claiming running back Eno Benjamin and wide receiver Amari Rodgers earlier in the year. In the case of Mayfield, though, a repeat of those moves does not seem to be forthcoming.
It is considered “extremely unlikely” that Houston will add the former No. 1 overall pick, reports Aaron Wilson of KPRC2. The Texans have had issues at the quarterback position throughout the season, but head coach Lovie Smith indicated that the team’s focus will be on deciding the starter moving forward from amongst their in-house options.
“Everybody that’s available we look at,” he said when asked about the potential of claiming Mayfield. “We see if they fit. We’re constantly trying to improve our roster, so if there’s anybody that’s out there, that’s what we do. Don’t know enough about Baker or anything like that. We’re trying to get better play from the guys we have on our current roster.”
2021 third-rounder Davis Mills started each of the team’s first 10 contests this season, but he has taken a significant step back statistically compared to the promise he showed as a rookie. That has led to the widespread expectation that they will select a quarterback in the first round of the upcoming draft, but his struggles also prompted a short-term move when Kyle Allen was named the starter two weeks ago.
The former UDFA has thrown four interceptions in his two starts, however, leaving the Texans with a murky situation regarding their signal-callers for the remainder of the season. Smith declined to state publicly who will be under center for Sunday’s game against the Cowboys, but Wilson reports that the team is “seriously contemplating” going back to Mills.
With Houston set to play out the string in 2022, they seem unlikely to give Mayfield, a pending free agent, the opportunity to compete for playing time in the waning weeks of the season. Such an opportunity could still come elsewhere later today in the event he is claimed.
49ers Not Expecting To Add Baker Mayfield?
After requesting his Panthers exit, Baker Mayfield is on waivers. More than $1MM remains on the former No. 1 overall pick’s contract, complicating a potential late-season claim. But the 49ers certainly make sense as a team that would consider such a move.
The contending team lost its second quarterback to a severe injury; Jimmy Garoppolo will be shut down for the third time during his five-plus-season San Francisco tenure. Kyle Shanahan addressed Mayfield’s availability Monday, but the sixth-year 49ers HC is not expecting the team to add the ex-Browns and Panthers starter.
“We look into everything, but that would surprise me right now,” Shanahan said, via ESPN.com’s Nick Wagoner (on Twitter). “We’ve got to discuss more this afternoon. I’ve always been a fan of his, but I feel really good about our players. We’ll look into everything but I feel pretty good with where we’re at.”
With Garoppolo expected to land on IR, the 49ers will have only 2022 Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy and journeyman extraordinaire Josh Johnson — set to begin his fourth stint with the team after spending the season on Denver’s practice squad — as available quarterbacks. Mayfield, 27, would make sense as an addition here, given his pedigree. But it would be asking a lot for the scuffling QB to digest Shanahan’s complex offense and be positioned to make a quick impact. That said, Purdy is obviously set for a massive responsibility increase. If Mayfield lingers in free agency, the 49ers would have an interesting option.
While Mayfield played a major role in snapping the Browns’ near-20-year playoff drought two years ago, he has not replicated that form often since. The four-year Browns starter did play in a Shanahan-style offense in Cleveland, and the Panthers were impressed with how quickly he picked up Ben McAdoo‘s offense. But no turnaround from an injury-plagued 2021 commenced. QBR slots Mayfield as by far this season’s worst starter. Mayfield’s 18.2 figure would rank as the second-worst number in the QBR era; only Jimmy Clausen‘s 2010 rookie season — also with Carolina — produced a worst result (13.8).
Purdy displayed somewhat surprising effectiveness in the 49ers’ win over the Dolphins, completing 25 of 37 passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns. Purdy threw 1,467 college passes as a four-year Iowa State starter, and while those throws did not generate much draft interest, his debut went better than Trey Lance‘s first extensive outing last season. Purdy’s performance also prompted the 49ers to release Nate Sudfeld this offseason; the team then kept the No. 262 overall pick as its third-stringer entering the season. That said, teams now having time to prepare for Purdy could change the equation — even with the 49ers deploying a four-All-Pro offense.
For now, the Purdy-Johnson duo will be how San Francisco attempts to pick up the Garoppolo pieces. It will be interesting if Mayfield lands with a team before season’s end.
Panthers Waive Baker Mayfield
10:40am: The move is now official, as the Panthers confirmed that Mayfield is no longer with the team.
9:45am: After less than one season in Carolina, Baker Mayfield‘s time with the Panthers is set to come to an end. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports (via Twitter) that the team will place their former starting quarterback on waivers later today. ESPN’s David Newton tweets that the 27-year-old requested the move.
Mayfield was acquired in the summer in a move which concluded a drawn-out negotiating process between the Panthers and Browns. The former No. 1 overall pick requested a move out of Cleveland, one which became inevitable upon their acquisition of Deshaun Watson in March. Mayfield, as expected, won out a training camp competition between himself and fellow 2018 draftee Sam Darnold.
The former Heisman winner took on the No. 1 role for the first five games of the season, but failed to live up to expectations; the Panthers’ Week 5 loss proved to be the final game of former head coach Matt Rhule‘s tenure with the team. With Darnold and rookie Matt Corral sidelined to injuries, Mayfield had little in the way of competition for a first-team spot until he suffered a high ankle sprain of his own. That paved the way for former UDFA P.J. Walker to take over for five consecutive games.
Mayfield replaced Walker during the second half of the Panthers’ blowout loss to the Bengals in Week 9, but was not given another start until two games later against the Ravens. That contest, like much of the rest of the campaign, did not go according to plan as Mayfield has searched for a return to the form shown in his rookie season and interim head coach Steve Wilks has taken the remainder of the season to evaluate each available signal-caller on the roster.
With Darnold back to full health, Wilks made it clear that he would see action as the starter in the closing stages of the season. As expected, then, the failed Jets passer worked as a first-teamer in Carolina’s Week 12 win against the Broncos. He will do so again this week, with CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones noting that Walker will, to little surprise, serve as the backup (Twitter link). With Corral sidelined for the season, those two will see out the rest of the year for the 4-8 Panthers.
Darnold’s return spelled the end of the road for Mayfield in Carolina, but he will not be expensive for an acquiring team. Less than $1.5MM remains on his 2022 contract – the fifth-year option which made this a hugely important season for him as he approaches free agency. Given that figure, and the season-ending injury suffered by Jimmy Garoppolo yesterday, the 49ers represent an obvious candidate to put in a claim. San Francisco’s current QB depth chart consists of Brock Purdy and Josh Johnson, so Mayfield could at least compete with those two as the NFC West leaders look to make a deep playoff push despite their injuries at the position. If he goes unclaimed, Mayfield will become a free agent.