Baker Mayfield

NFC South Notes: Panthers, Saints, Brate

October 20th, 2022 at 4:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

Even after the Panthers traded Robbie Anderson, they are still being linked to moving key pieces. The team still wants to keep its defensive core together, according to Yahoo.com’s Charles Robinson (on Twitter). That said, Robinson adds that while the Panthers are not going to conduct a fire sale, they will likely aim to unload more players viewed as “Matt Rhule guys.”

This is interesting considering the two players who have been most closely linked to trades — Christian McCaffrey and Shaq Thompson — were brought in before Rhule arrived. Rhule did greenlight McCaffrey’s extension; Thompson’s deal came under Marty Hurney‘s leadership. Carolina’s Temple contingent remains strong, even post-Anderson. Matthew Ioannidis, Cory Littleton and P.J. Walker remain in key roles, though Rhule-backed players cannot only be limited to the ones he coached in college. Littleton and Ioannidis are on one-year deals, making them interesting trade candidates.

Here is the latest from the NFC South:

David Tepper bought the Panthers in 2018. The two football-related storylines most closely associated with the owner are Rhule’s seven-year, $62MM contract and the team’s Deshaun Watson pursuit. With the Panthers not having a winning season during Tepper’s time, is safe to say the owner’s stock has dipped. In the wake of Rhule’s firing, multiple NFL personnel men did not speak highly of Tepper, whom they classify as emotional and “difficult” to work for, per CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones. Descriptions like these, along with Carolina’s quarterback situation, stand to make it harder for Tepper to hire his next coach. Then again, he could simply throw out another monster contract. Rhule was believed to prefer the Giants to the Panthers in 2020, but money certainly talked.
Although the Panthers designated Sam Darnold for return from IR, Steve Wilks said Walker will be his starter in Week 7. Jacob Eason will back up the former XFLer. Walker started in Week 6 and struggled, but the Panthers’ top three options (Darnold, Baker Mayfield and Matt Corral) are injured. Mayfield did return to practice Thursday, suggesting a possible Week 8 return is in play. But Mayfield and Darnold are set to wage another competition — several weeks after Mayfield prevailed in the training camp battle — following the former’s woeful start. The Panthers have three weeks to activate Darnold from IR.
The Saints will go with Andy Dalton again tonight. The 12th-year vet will make his fourth start this season, while Ed Werder of ESPN.com notes (via Twitter) Jameis Winston will be the emergency No. 3 QB. Dalton supplanting Winston as the Saints’ full-time starter entered the equation recently, though Dennis Allen said Winston is not yet fully healthy. Winston, whom Dalton initially replaced due to spine fractures, re-signed on a two-year, $28MM deal this offseason. The Saints guaranteed Winston $15.2MM; Dalton is making $3MM this year.
Cameron Brate left the Buccaneers‘ Week 6 game on a stretcher, but Todd Bowles provided relatively good news on the veteran tight end. Brate sustained a sprained neck and did not suffer any loss of feeling or nerve damage. It is not clear when the ninth-year Buccaneer will be able to play again. The Bucs drafted two tight ends — Cade Otton and Ko Kieft — this year before signing Kyle Rudolph. Otton, a fourth-round pick out of Washington, worked as Brate’s primary replacement against the Steelers.

Panthers Designate QB Sam Darnold, DT Bravvion Roy For Return

October 19th, 2022 at 11:39am CST by Sam Robinson

Sam Darnold will be back on the practice field for the Panthers beginning Wednesday. The team designated the fifth-year quarterback and defensive tackle Bravvion Roy for return.

This will begin Darnold’s 21-day activation ramp-up period. Carolina can activate Darnold at any point over the next three weeks. The team lost its backup quarterback to a high ankle sprain during the preseason, and the 2021 trade acquisition was given a four- to six-week recovery timetable. We have passed the back end of that window, so Darnold’s return to practice will be interesting.

The Panthers still have all eight of their injury activations to use this season. That points to both Darnold and Roy being activated soon. A 2020 sixth-round pick, Roy suffered a knee injury in Week 2.

Much has changed since Darnold last took the field for the Panthers. They have fired Matt Rhule and traded Robbie Anderson. Christian McCaffrey is now a trade candidate. Baker Mayfield also suffered a high ankle sprain, though his recovery timetable is not believed to be as lengthy as Darnold’s was back in August.

Mayfield has shed his walking boot but is not yet ready to practice, David Newton of ESPN.com tweets. An MRI revealed a torn ligament in Mayfield’s ankle, Steve Wilks said. This would stand to lengthen the incumbent starter’s recovery timeline. The former No. 1 overall choice has struggled since being acquired in July. His early-season woes contributed heavily to Rhule’s firing, leading to rumors of Darnold being given another shot. Wilks did not guarantee Mayfield would keep his job upon return, indicating (via The Athletic’s Joe Person, on Twitter) he and Darnold would compete (again). Mayfield won a fairly one-sided QB competition during training camp.

The Panthers gave up far more to acquire Darnold compared to Mayfield, making the former’s 2021 performance quite costly for the team’s Rhule-era aspirations. The former No. 3 overall pick started 11 games last season. After beginning the year 3-0, Darnold lost seven of his final eight outings. A shaky offensive line contributed to Darnold’s issues in Carolina, but the Jets also unloaded him due to underwhelming play. The USC product ranked 29th in QBR during a season in which he threw nine touchdown passes and 13 interceptions. Mayfield, whose Browns career outpaced Darnold’s first four seasons, currently ranks last in QBR.

Carolina used both P.J. Walker and Jacob Eason in Los Angeles last week. Given the way Mayfield has performed, it would certainly not surprise to see Darnold back under center at some point soon. Then again, Darnold has an extensive injury history. He has missed at least three games in each of his five NFL seasons. Both he and Mayfield are set for free agency at season’s end, pointing the Panthers to a full-on quarterback reset.

Baker Mayfield Suffers High Ankle Sprain

October 16th, 2022 at 2:40pm CST by Adam La Rose

OCTOBER 16: Mayfield is inactive for today’s game, as expected. That will leave Walker and Jacob Eason available to the Panthers under center today against Los Angeles. The Rams, meanwhile, will also be shorthanded at the position, as backup John Wolford is out with a neck injury. He will be replaced by Bryce Perkins.

OCTOBER 11: The second opinion the Panthers quarterback received confirmed surgery will not be necessary, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Mayfield is not expected to be placed on IR, opening the door to a return within the next four games. This season has gone about as badly as possible for the former No. 1 overall pick, but his avoiding a serious injury is obviously a plus. Walker will be expected to start the first game of Steve Wilks‘ Panthers HC tenure, with Pelissero adding Mayfield should be shelved for two to six weeks (Twitter link).

OCTOBER 10: After he exited yesterday’s game early, and donned a walking boot following the contest, it was expected that Baker Mayfield would miss at least some time. Today, it was confirmed that the Panthers quarterback suffered a high ankle sprain (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL Network).

ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets that Mayfield is expected to miss multiple weeks at a minimum as a result of the injury. He is in the process of gathering further information to determine his next steps, but being available for Week 6 may not be out of the question yet. The Athletic’s Joe Person reports that Mayfield “hopes” to play on Sunday against the Rams, something which is a “longshot” at this point (Twitter link).

Playing through pain would be nothing new for the former No. 1 pick, of course. Dealing with a serious shoulder injury (among other things), Mayfield suited up for 14 contests in 2021, the first season in which he missed any games in his career. His performance was clearly affected by his health status, and he put up career-lows statistically and was ultimately dealt to Carolina.

That led to optimism for his ability to resurrect his career and provide the Panthers with some much-needed stability at the position. However, he contributed greatly to the team’s offensive struggles, completing less than 55% of his passes and amassing a career-low QBR of 71.9. For that reason, Rapoport adds, fellow 2018 draftee Sam Darnold may well have already taken over the No. 1 role had he been available (video link).

Instead, Darnold, who lost out in the training camp competition to Mayfield for the starting job, has yet to play this season. He suffered a high ankle sprain of his own, which has landed him on IR. The recovery timeline of four to six weeks should have him seeing the field soon, but he has yet to be designated for return. That, coupled with the season-ending injury suffered by rookie Matt Corral this preseason, threatens to leave the team very shorthanded against the defending champions.

The only healthy QB the Panthers have on the active roster is P.J. Walker. A depth option with the team since 2020, the 27-year-old has won each of his two career starts. He will, in all likelihood, be seeking a third victory on Sunday as Carolina begins the post-Rhule era.

Week 5 Injury Roundup: Mayfield, Hill, Williams, Concussions

October 10th, 2022 at 9:03am CST by Adam La Rose

The Panthers’ losing streak continued yesterday, leading to questions not only about head coach Matt Rhule‘s job security, but also Baker Mayfield‘s hold on the No. 1 quarterback job. Performance may not affect the ability of the latter to suit up for Week 6, however, as he was seen in a walking boot after the team’s loss to the 49ers.

“A little painful right now,” he said when asked about the injury to his left foot. “I’m not real sure exactly what it is. We’ll examine that tomorrow and find out. So right now I’m managing the pain and learning to step in the boot.”

Mayfield will undergo an MRI to determine the severity of the injury, per Ellis Williams of the Charlotte Observer (Twitter link). With Sam Darnold still on the mend from the ankle injury he sustained in the preseason, and rookie Matt Corral out for the season, the Panthers would turn to P.J. Walker should Mayfield miss any time. The former XFLer game into last night’s contest for Carolina’s final possession, as Mayfield was suffering from the effects of the injury and the score was out of reach.

Here are some other injury updates following the league’s Week 5 action:

Tyreek Hill was also seen in a walking boot following Miami’s loss to the Jets (Twitter link via ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques). Head coach Mike McDaniel said that he was stepped on late in the contest, leaving his Week 6 availability in the air. Hill has been exactly what the Dolphins paid for (in draft capital and financial commitments) so far, with 38 catches for 528 yards and two touchdowns. His average of just under 105 receiving yards per game is the highest of his career, so any absence would be significant for the team’s offense.
The Ravens’ defense delivered a noteworthy performance last night against the Bengals, but lost a key member of the unit along the way. Head coach John Harbaugh said after the game that safety Marcus Williams dislocated his wrist, and will miss a “significant” amount of time as a result. That will deal a major blow to Baltimore’s secondary, as the high-priced free agent signing has been productive this season with three interceptions and five pass deflections.
While Dolphins QB Teddy Bridgewater earned the unwanted distinction of becoming the league’s first player to be removed via the new concussion protocols yesterday, he was not alone in that regard. Per team announcements, Saints wideout Chris Olave, Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth and Browns cornerback Denzel Ward were each ruled out of their teams’ respective games with concussions. Under the new regulations, it has been acknowledged, some players will be removed from games and not allowed to return despite passing initial checks for concussion symptoms.
Going back to the TNF contest which kicked off Week 5, the Broncos’ injury woes continue. Long snapper Jacob Bobenmoyer will miss “extended time” after suffering an injury to the hand/wrist area, 9News’ Mike Klis tweets. Losing the 25-year-old for the foreseeable future will add to the league-leading 12 players the Broncos already have on IR, which have no doubt contributed to the team’s underwhelming start to the season.

Latest On Panthers’ QB Situation

October 4th, 2022 at 9:06am CST by Adam La Rose

The Panthers have been receiving plenty of attention lately given the struggles of their quarterback and the increasing calls for a head coaching change. For at least the short-term future, though, the status quo appears likely to continue on both fronts.

When speaking to the media yesterday, Matt Rhule continued to support summer trade acquisition Baker Mayfield as the team’s starter. “I think Baker’s our quarterback. We have to continue to find ways to help him,” he said (Twitter link via Joe Person of The Athletic).

In the franchise’s latest attempt to solidify the position, Carolina executed a long-anticipated trade for the former No. 1 pick in July. Mayfield took a pay cut to facilitate his move out of Cleveland, and quickly won the training camp competition between he and incumbent Sam Darnold. Things have not started as well as anyone had hoped, however.

Mayfield has completed less than 55% of his attempts, totaling 747 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions. His 75.0 quarterback rating is a career-low mark, and the Panthers rank last in the NFL at an average of 283 yards per contest. Those figures fall well short of expectations entering the season, where a return to health for the Oklahoma product was thought to provide stability and an upgrade over Darnold.

The latter’s health represents the most immediate reason why Mayfield will remain the starter for the time being. Darnold has begun the season on IR due to an ankle sprain; despite the fact that he is now eligible to return, Rhule said that he is not ready to do so, with Week 6 being a more realistic target (Twitter link via ESPN’s David Newton). Darnold’s level of play last year led to the team’s urgency in trading for Mayfield, so it would come as a surprise if he were to return to the No. 1 role.

“I just feel like we have to expect more than that from all of us as an offense,” Rhule added via Person when asked about the unit’s struggles (subscription required). “Offensively, we have to score more points. And that starts with me, goes to [offensive coordinator] Ben [McAdoo], goes to the assistant coaches and players. We have to get it corrected.”

Panthers Name Baker Mayfield Starting QB

August 22nd, 2022 at 11:43am CST by Adam La Rose

The Panthers have been holding an open competition for their starting quarterback spot throughout training camp, and the winner of that battle has been named. The team announced on Monday that Baker Mayfield will occupy the No. 1 spot on the depth chart.

That news comes as little surprise, given the team’s acquisition of the former Heisman winner in July. Mayfield, especially if healthier than last season, should represent a significant upgrade over incumbent Sam Darnold. It became clear in the aftermath of the deal that Panthers’ preference was to bring in Mayfield much earlier in the offseason; the delay gave Darnold a temporary edge given his knowledge of the team’s offense, but things began to change quickly.

Two weeks ago, it became clear that Mayfield was distancing himself as the clear-cut top option under center. Today’s confirmation comes after he played just one series so far in the preseason, but showcased enough in doing so to point to the consistent level of play at the position Carolina has been looking for, as noted by SI’s Albert Breer. NFL Network’s James Palmer tweets that Mayfield will start the team’s final preseason game on Friday.

“When we started this process, we were looking at three things,” head coach Matt Rhule said (via Palmer, on Twitter). “Number one, mastery of the offense, number two, situational football excellence, and number three, moving the ball and getting guys involved. That’s been our focus all along.”

Today’s news also confirms that Mayfield’s Panthers debut will be against the Browns to open the regular season. Cleveland is paying $10.5MM of his fifth-year option salary, a move which was necessary to move on from the former No. 1 pick as the team transitions to Deshaun Watson. In spite of that, Mayfield is insisting that his focus is not on proving his former team wrong for replacing him.

“It’s not a redemption year,” he said, via ESPN’s David Newton. “I know what I’m capable of. I’m not trying to prove anything to anybody else. I’m just trying to lead this locker room the best I can and win a bunch of ball games.”

With the competition settled, Darnold will now be relegated to the backup role after his underwhelming Jets tenure. Carolina has made it clear on multiple occasions, though, that they are not looking to trade him. As unsurprising as today’s announcement is, it marks another disappointing chapter in his NFL career. Nonetheless, the Panthers are set at the most important position in advance of a season where a significant improvement is desperately needed.

Baker Mayfield To Start Panthers Preseason Opener

August 13th, 2022 at 9:22am CST by Ben Levine

It sounds like Baker Mayfield is getting the first crack at the Panthers’ starting QB gig. The team announced that their offseason acquisition will start today’s preseason opener against the Commanders.

Mayfield and teammate Sam Darnold have been alternating first-team snaps throughout training camp, but it will be Mayfield who will get the first look on Saturday. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler expects Mayfield to get one or two series before giving way to Darnold, who will also get one or two series (Twitter link). After that, the Panthers will likely lean on PJ Walker and rookie third-round pick Matt Corral for the rest of the exhibition.

On one side, it’s clearly telling that Mayfield will be playing alongside other definitive offensive starters, and throughout training camp, we’ve been given every indication that the former first-overall pick was in the lead for the starting QB job. However, ESPN’s Jeff Darlington cautions (on Twitter) that we shouldn’t take too much away from today’s game. Rather, the “true barometer” for the competition will come next week when Carolina practices against New England. According to Darlington, people with the team believe the QB decision will be made following that August 19 game against the Patriots.

Head coach Matt Rhule echoed that next week will be essential for the QB competition, noting that it was an “ongoing process” with no clear deadline.

“When we know, we know,” Rhule said (via Darin Gantt of the team’s website). “If we knew for sure, we would say it and just move on with it. When we, we know. Every day brings new evidence. Every day brings new insights. But at the same time, they’re both competitors. If one guy has a strong day, the next guy fights back the next day. I think it’s been healthy for our team. It’s been healthy for the staff. I think it’s been done the right way. I’m pleased with where it’s at.”

Baker Mayfield Moving Ahead In Panthers QB Race

August 8th, 2022 at 2:44pm CST by Sam Robinson

When the Panthers completed their months-long Baker Mayfield negotiations with the Browns, the expectation was he would beat out 2018 draft classmate Sam Darnold. That path may be starting to form.

It has become fairly clear this is Mayfield’s job to lose, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes (video link). Although Darnold has shown competency during camp, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo adds Mayfield’s higher ceiling — which has begun to show itself at camp, via splashier plays — has him pointed toward QB1 duty.

Darnold has enjoyed a several-month head start on Mayfield in new OC Ben McAdoo‘s offense. Both Matt Rhule and GM Scott Fitterer wanted the Mayfield trade done by minicamp, which obviously would have allowed for the former No. 1 overall pick to begin on-field work sooner. As Mayfield assimilates further, a gap could begin to form. Mayfield’s knowledge of McAdoo’s system going into camp surprised the Panthers, per Garafolo (video link).

Rhule said he will hold off on determining a starter until after the team’s second preseason game (August 19), but if this battle continues its present course, Mayfield should start to see more than the 50-50 snap split as the regular season nears.

This points to a situation in which Mayfield, who took a pay cut from his fifth-year option salary to facilitate a trade to Carolina, starts over a quarterback tied to a bigger contract. Darnold is still attached to his full $18.9MM option salary. That will make the former No. 3 overall pick almost impossible to move. While a quarterback injury could change the thinking here, Darnold is not being shopped, Joe Person of The Athletic tweets.

As is the case with Jimmy Garoppolo, Darnold’s salary would almost certainly need to be reduced in order for him to be moved. Garoppolo has also shown far more than the USC product as a pro. Absent a major injury, no clear path — save for maybe Seattle — would exist to Darnold starting anywhere. No Darnold-Seahawks connections have been made. The team has been connected to Garoppolo, but only in a scenario in which the 49ers release him. If that is the Seahawks’ stance on Garoppolo, it is unrealistic to expect any Darnold trade interest to develop.

Latest On Panthers’ QB Situation

August 6th, 2022 at 4:27pm CST by Ely Allen

The Panthers have one of the league’s only quarterback competitions this summer and plan to draw it out a bit longer. Carolina doesn’t plan on making what head coach Matt Rhule calls a “major decision” on any position battles until after the team’s second preseason game on August 19, according to David Newton of ESPN. This, of course, includes the starting quarterback battle between incumbent Sam Darnold and trade acquisition Baker Mayfield.

Darnold’s debut season in Carolina was the worst of his career according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). PFF has consistently graded Darnold among the worst NFL quarterbacks, ranking him 29th, 31st, and 35th in his first three seasons in New York. He continued his downward trajectory ranking as the 36th out of 37 ranked quarterbacks last year, finishing only over Ben Roethlisberger.

Mayfield, on the other hand, graded out very poorly in 2021 (30th out of 37), but has seen success in his healthier seasons in Cleveland, even taking them to the playoffs and earning their first postseason win since the 1994 NFL season in 2020. His career has been a rollercoaster celebrating the ups of his 2018 and 2020 seasons while stomaching the downs of his 2019 and 2021 seasons. Still, that’s two more impressive seasons than his competitor has seen in the NFL and should give him an initial edge.

Mayfield is the expected leader in the race right now based on that past success. The two have split reps on first and second team down the middle this summer, giving both a chance to work with the ones. At some point, though, the Panthers staff is going to want to give somebody more first team reps in preparation to be the Panthers’ starting quarterback for the regular season. Rhule seems to imply that a decision could ultimately be pushed even closer to the start of the season.

“I’m not putting a timetable on the quarterback position until after we get back from Patriots week,” Rhule explained after today’s scrimmage. “The Patriots week is a true litmus test for us. That will really show us where guys are.”

In addition to the QB1 battle, there are a couple of other positions that have battles to be decided after the team’s time in Foxborough. Wide receiver Terrace Marshall is expected to take a big step in his second season and push Robby Anderson for the WR2 spot behind D.J. Moore. The return of cornerback Jaycee Horn presents a logjam atop the depth chart of the position. The Panthers will have to decide if they like Horn or last year’s trade acquisition C.J. Henderson on the outside. If they choose Horn, Henderson will have to compete with Keith Taylor in the slot. In they choose Henderson on the outside, Horn will likely man the slot.

It will be interesting to see how Carolina approaches the third preseason game. The last game of the preseason is traditionally a game full of backups and roster bubble guys as the starters tend to rest in order to prevent injury. If the Panthers are waiting until that game to make crucial depth chart decisions, they may be forced to give the finalized first string some reps together in their last game action before the regular season. Regardless, it sounds like Panthers fans will have to wait until late August to know exactly what the Panthers’ depth chart will look like.

Latest On Baker Mayfield’s Panthers Deal

July 19th, 2022 at 3:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

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.

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