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Baker Mayfield

NFC South Rumors: Mayfield, Henderson, Jones, Buccaneers

July 15th, 2022 at 10:01pm CST by Ely Allen

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.

Latest On Panthers, Baker Mayfield

July 12th, 2022 at 5:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

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

July 12th, 2022 at 1:20pm CST by Adam La Rose

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 HC, GM Wanted Baker Mayfield At Team’s Minicamp

July 8th, 2022 at 1:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

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

July 6th, 2022 at 11:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

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.

Panthers QB Transactions Since 2020

July 6th, 2022 at 10:11pm CST by Ben Levine

It’s been two years since the Panthers moved on from Cam Newton, and the organization’s QB room has seen plenty of change in that short amount of time. Besides the financial commitments to free agent additions like Teddy Bridgewater and Newton (for a second stint), the Panthers have also invested plenty of draft capital into the position. Over the past 15 months, the organization has effectively used a second-round pick, third-round pick, fourth-round pick, fifth-round pick, and sixth-round pick to construct their current depth chart of Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, and Matt Corral.

Of course, the Panthers have rostered plenty of additional signal-callers since settling on their current trio. Over the past two years, the Panthers have started four different QBs, and 13 different quarterbacks have made their way through the organization (either via the active roster or practice squad). These 13 different QBs have accounted for 18 different transactions over the past 28 months.

We went back to the 2020 offseason and listed all of the Panthers QB transactions below:

March 10, 2020

Allen inked a one-year pact with the Panthers to avoid ERFA.

March 17, 2020

March 23, 2020

March 24, 2020

April 5, 2021

  • Acquired Sam Darnold from Jets for 2022 second-round pick, 2022 fourth-round pick, 2021 sixth-round pick

April 28, 2021

April 30, 2021

August 31, 2021

Grier was a 2019 third-round pick by the Panthers.

September 2, 2021

November 2, 2021

November 9, 2021

Barkley was signed off the Titans practice squad.

November 11, 2021

December 28, 2021

December 31, 2021

April 29, 2022

May 1, 2022

July 6, 2022

 

Panthers Don’t Intend To Move QB Sam Darnold

July 6th, 2022 at 6:47pm CST by Ben Levine

The Panthers acquired Baker Mayfield earlier today, but that doesn’t mean the organization will be bailing on their other high-priced quarterback. ESPN’s David Newton tweets that the Panthers have no intention of moving Sam Darnold.

[RELATED: Panthers To Acquire QB Baker Mayfield From Browns]

From a financial standpoint, this news isn’t a huge surprise. After the Panthers acquired Darnold from the Jets last offseason, they committed to the QB’s fifth-year option, locking the player in to a fully guaranteed $18.85MM salary for the 2022 campaign. Considering the difficulties the Browns had finding a taker for Mayfield and his hefty fifth-year option, there’s little chance the Panthers would find a suitor who was willing to eat much (if any) of Darnold’s deal. In other words, it makes more sense for the Panthers to temporarily tolerate the cap hit vs. pawning him off (or paying to get off the contract).

Second, while teams would surely have interest in Darnold on their own terms, his salary and his ugly 2021 campaign likely means teams aren’t lining up for his services The QB seemed to take a step with the Jets in 2019 before taking a step back in 2020, and Darnold seemed to plateau on that underwhelming production in 2021. He finished the campaign having completed 59.9 percent of his passes for 2,527 yards, nine touchdowns, and 13 interceptions while guiding the Panthers to a 4-7 record in 11 starts.

Finally, the Panthers won’t trade Darnold because they sincerely intend on having a quarterback competition. We heard earlier today that the 2018 draftees would likely go head-to-head for the starting gig, allowing the team to also use 2022 as a developmental year for third-round rookie Matt Corral. Indeed, Newton passes along that the Panthers “haven’t counted Darnold out,” and the organization won’t automatically hand the keys to their offense to Mayfield. In fact, the organization is optimistic that the Mayfield acquisition could even light a fire under Darnold.

Ultimately, while the Panthers may be saying they have no intention of moving Darnold, it’s probably more accurate to say that they don’t have the ability to move Darnold considering the lack of suitors. So, for at least the time being, the organization is saying the right things and pointing toward a QB compeition.

Panthers To Acquire QB Baker Mayfield From Browns

July 6th, 2022 at 12:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Browns and Panthers have finally reached a compromise, and it will end Baker Mayfield‘s Cleveland tenure. The Panthers are acquiring the former No. 1 overall pick, Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL.com report (via Twitter). Carolina has since announced the move.

Carolina will send a 2024 conditional fifth-round pick to Cleveland in exchange for Mayfield, though Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com notes the pick is a conditional fourth. Clearing up this matter, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones tweets the pick could land in Round 4 or Round 5. Mayfield’s playing time will determine the pick, per InsidetheBirds.com’s Adam Caplan (on Twitter). This still marks a light return for a quarterback of Mayfield’s caliber, but his contract — along with leaguewide supply-and-demand issues at QB — had long been a sticking point for teams.

The sides reached an agreement to split Mayfield’s salary, the primary sticking point in their months-long talks. The Browns have agreed to pay $10.5MM of Mayfield’s $18.9MM fifth-year option salary, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. To facilitate a Cleveland exit, Mayfield has agreed to trim $3.5MM off his 2022 salary, Garafolo adds. Mayfield agreeing to a reduction moved these long-running negotiations past the goal line, Yahoo.com’s Charles Robinson tweets.

Carolina will be responsible for just $5MM of its new quarterback’s salary. Mayfield can earn back the $3.5MM of his fifth-year option money through incentives, Garafolo adds (on Twitter). The Browns, who entered Wednesday in first place by a mile for cap space, will still gain $8MM in additional room from this transaction. This move pushes Cleveland’s available funds close to $50MM.

With the Panthers and Browns facing off in Charlotte in Week 1, this already-lengthy storyline likely will not cease for a while. But this provides a resolution for Mayfield, who had requested a trade as the Browns entered the Deshaun Watson sweepstakes. The Browns moved to acquire Watson, who changed his mind on Cleveland after the team proposed a fully guaranteed $230MM deal. That transaction has become one of the most controversial moves in NFL history, with Watson facing potentially a season-long suspension.

Mayfield, 27, has hovered in the background during that saga, with the Browns excusing him from minicamp. If he prevails against Darnold during the Panthers’ training camp, Carolina will deploy Mayfield against a likely Jacoby Brissett-quarterbacked Cleveland squad in Week 1. If Mayfield wins the job, he will be the Panthers’ fourth Week 1 quarterback in four seasons. Matt Rhule has acquired a starter-caliber QB in each of his three seasons at the helm, signing Teddy Bridgewater to replace Cam Newton and trading for Sam Darnold to succeed Bridgewater. Darnold, 25, is now in danger of being replaced, as Rhule navigates a hot seat.

Mayfield now has a few weeks to prepare for training camp with Carolina. His path to Charlotte encountered a hurdle during the draft, when the Browns were willing to pay barely $3MM of his salary. This led to talks breaking down and the Panthers trading into Round 3 to draft Matt Corral. The team circling back to Mayfield puts Corral on a developmental path, as the Browns hold a competition between 2018’s first two QBs drafted.

Despite Mayfield leading the Browns to their first playoff berth since 2002, he played through a major shoulder injury last season and saw his value crater. After a 10th-place QBR finish in 2020 — a 26-touchdown pass, 10-interception slate — Mayfield ranked 27th last season. Darnold has finished 25th or lower in QBR in each of his four seasons. Mayfield underwent left shoulder surgery in January but is expected to be a full training camp participant.

The 2017 Heisman winner enjoyed a rocky run in Cleveland, playing well in two of his four Browns seasons. A 2019 step back from a promising rookie season preceded Mayfield faring well in Kevin Stefanski‘s offense, but he now faces another prove-it season — one that will go a long way to determining his future earning potential. Mayfield and the Browns tabled extension talks last year. That development proved costly for the ex-Oklahoma superstar, though he can potentially earn an extension from the Panthers or a free agency payday in 2023 — if this season goes well.

Being the only known team enter serious negotiations for Mayfield, the Panthers had been the favorites to acquire him. While Mayfield said during a podcast appearance the Seahawks might be his most likely landing spot, Seattle was not believed to be interested in him via trade — only as a free agent signing. The Panthers ensured that could not take place. Carolina was similarly interested in Jimmy Garoppolo only as a potential free agent. Wednesday’s trade narrows the four-plus-year 49ers starter’s options as well.

Obtained for three draft picks — including a 2022 second-rounder — last year, Darnold struggled for much of his Panthers debut. The former No. 3 overall pick ranked 29th in QBR and missed time with an injury, continuing a trend on that front as well. Mayfield represents the USC product’s biggest threat to a starting role, with Darnold having smooth tracks toward QB1 gigs with the Jets and Panthers through four seasons. The upcoming battle may determine whether Darnold will be able to continue his run as an NFL starter or be resigned to backup roles in the years to come.

Latest On Seahawks, Baker Mayfield

July 5th, 2022 at 11:03pm CST by Adam La Rose

A very short list exists of teams who have the interest and financial wherewithal to trade for Baker Mayfield. One of the teams on that list is the Seahawks, who have recently been reported to have significant interest in acquiring the Browns QB. 

[RELATED: Mayfield Quells Talk Of Browns Reconciliation]

Seattle represented one of the most logical trade destinations once Mayfield’s trade request went public. He would bring more pedigree than Drew Lock, and more upside than Geno Smith, the two incumbents currently set to begin the post-Russell Wilson era. The fact that a Jimmy Garoppolo addition would require an intra-division trade further pointed to the former No. 1 overall pick ending up in the Emerald City.

Speculation continued when it came out that Mayfield himself was also interested in Seattle as a destination, echoing thoughts he made public earlier in the offseason once his trade request become known. However, the sense that a deal could be coming soon (or at any point) could be unfounded.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport threw cold water on the perceived connection between the Seahawks and Mayfield. When appearing on the Pat McAfee Show, he said that he has heard “nothing to corroborate Baker to the Seahawks at all” (video link). He added that the Seahawks “have never really been that interested in him.”

There is a difference, of course, between teams like the Seahawks (or his other most-predicted destination, the Panthers) trading for Mayfield – and therefore absorbing at least some of his $18.9MM cap hit – and signing him as a free agent upon his release, or the expiration of his contract next year. If Seattle remains committed to their current QB room, though, as head coach Pete Carrol has indicated they will do, attention will again be turned towards Carolina.

The most important next step is the Browns’ decision on how to handle Mayfield vis-à-vis Deshaun Watson. They will presumably wait until a final ruling is made on the latter’s eligibility to play in 2022 before trading the former Heisman winner, which will likely happen before training camp, Rapoport adds. Until then, this will remain a storyline worth watching for all parties involved.

Largest 2022 Cap Hits: Offense

July 4th, 2022 at 11:58am CST by Sam Robinson

After the COVID-19 pandemic led to the second reduction in NFL salary cap history last year, the 2022 cap made a record jump. This year’s salary ceiling ($208.2MM) checks in $25.7MM north of the 2021 figure.

While quarterbacks’ salaries will continue to lead the way, a handful of blockers and skill-position players carry sizable cap numbers for 2022. A few of the quarterbacks that lead the way this year may not be tied to those numbers once the regular season begins. The 49ers, Browns and Ravens have made efforts to alter these figures via trades or extensions.

Here are the top 2022 salary cap hits on the offensive side of the ball:

  1. Ryan Tannehill, QB (Titans): $38.6MM
  2. Patrick Mahomes, QB (Chiefs): $35.79MM
  3. Kirk Cousins, QB (Vikings): $31.42MM
  4. Jared Goff, QB (Lions): $31.15MM
  5. Aaron Rodgers, QB (Packers): $28.53MM
  6. Carson Wentz, QB (Commanders): $28.29MM
  7. Jimmy Garoppolo, QB (49ers): $26.95MM
  8. Russell Wilson, QB (Broncos): $24MM
  9. Lamar Jackson, QB (Ravens): $23.02MM
  10. Kenny Golladay, WR (Giants): $21.2MM
  11. Garett Bolles, T (Broncos): $21MM
  12. Dak Prescott, QB (Cowboys): $19.73MM
  13. Derek Carr, QB (Raiders): $19.38MM
  14. D.J. Humphries, T (Cardinals): $19.33MM
  15. Keenan Allen, WR (Chargers): $19.2MM
  16. Taylor Decker, T (Lions): $18.9MM
  17. Sam Darnold, QB (Panthers): 18.89MM
  18. Baker Mayfield, QB (Browns): $18.89MM
  19. Matt Ryan, QB (Colts): $18.7MM
  20. Ronnie Stanley, T (Ravens): $18.55MM
  21. Donovan Smith, T (Buccaneers): $18.4MM
  22. Ezekiel Elliott, RB (Cowboys): $18.22MM
  23. DeAndre Hopkins, WR (Cardinals): $17.95MM
  24. Cooper Kupp, WR (Rams): $17.8MM
  25. Laremy Tunsil, T (Texans): $17.71MM
  • The Chiefs’ cap sheet looks a bit different this year, with Tyreek Hill and Tyrann Mathieu off the roster. But Mahomes’ cap number rockets from $7.4MM in 2021 to the league’s second-largest figure in 2022. This marks the first time Mahomes’ 10-year contract is set to count more than $10MM toward Kansas City’s cap, with the AFC West champs not yet restructuring the deal this year.
  • Tied to a few lucrative extensions since relocating to Minnesota, Cousins’ third Vikings deal dropped his cap number from $45MM. The fifth-year Vikings QB’s cap number is set to climb past $36MM in 2023.
  • Prior to negotiating his landmark extension in March, Rodgers was set to count more than $46MM on the Packers’ payroll.
  • The 49ers are aiming to move Garoppolo’s nonguaranteed money off their payroll. That figure becomes guaranteed in Week 1, providing a key date for the franchise. San Francisco is prepared to let Garoppolo negotiate contract adjustments with other teams to facilitate a trade.
  • Wilson counts $26MM on the Seahawks’ 2022 payroll, due to the dead money the NFC West franchise incurred by trading its 10-year starter in March.
  • Jackson, Darnold and Mayfield are attached to fifth-year option salaries. Jackson’s is higher due to the former MVP having made two Pro Bowls compared to his 2018 first-round peers’ zero. The 2020 CBA separated fifth-year option values by playing time and accomplishments. The Browns and Panthers have engaged in off-and-on negotiations on divvying up Mayfield’s salary for months, while a Jackson extension remains on the radar.
  • Golladay’s cap number jumped from $4.47MM last year to the highest non-quarterback figure among offensive players. The Giants wideout’s four-year deal calls for $21MM-plus cap hits from 2023-24.
  • Prior to being traded to the Colts, who adjusted their new starter’s contract, Ryan was set to carry an NFL-record $48MM cap hit this year. The Falcons are carrying a league-record $40.5MM dead-money charge after dealing their 14-year starter.
  • The Texans restructured Tunsil’s deal in March, dropping his 2022 cap hit from $26.6MM to its present figure. Because of the adjustment, Tunsil’s 2023 cap number resides at $35.2MM

Contract information courtesy of Over The Cap 

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