The Carolina Panthers made the stunning decision to release Baker Mayfield on Monday, ending his short-lived tenure with the team. Mayfield had only joined the Panthers this offseason, but after Carolina's bye in Week 13, the two sides have agreed to part ways. Reports indicate it was a mutual decision between the two parties after the Panthers informed Mayfield he'd no longer be part of their plans, opting to roll with Sam Darnold, instead. With Mayfield no longer strapped in to the quarterback carousel in Carolina, there's one immediate destination that makes plenty of sense; the San Francisco 49ers.
Mayfield would be a perfect fit for the San Francisco 49ers, who just lost Jimmy Garoppolo to a season-ending injury. With Trey Lance also done for the year due to his own injury blow, the Niners are preparing to trot out Brock Purdy as their starting QB. With a clear need at quarterback, the 49ers should pounce on the surprise chance to add Mayfield to their ranks.
2. Can Brock Purdy be sturdy?
Brock Purdy was never touted to be much of a difference-maker in the NFL, evidenced by his title as “Mr. Irrelevant,” which he earned after being selected as the last overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft. With two quarterbacks ahead of him on the pre-season depth chart, even Purdy probably had no expectation of sniffing the field this year.
Now, he finds himself in the driver's seat of a team with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations, and while he played well against the Dolphins, it's difficult to imagine him producing that level of quality on a weekly basis.
Purdy completed 25-of-37 pass attempts for 210 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception after taking over for Garoppolo. It was an excellent performance, undoubtedly, but can he do it again?
While Mayfield's struggles have been plain to see, he at least provides the Niners with some semblance of experience, having started 65 games in his career. Mayfield has more career starts than Purdy does pass attempts, so it stands to reason that the more seasoned arm could lead to better results in the big games that lay ahead.
1. Niners need options
At the end of the day, adding Mayfield also wouldn't even require the 49ers to demote Purdy. San Francisco could realistically take a shot on Mayfield and initiate a mid-season quarterback competition between him and Purdy. That could help the Niners get the best out of both quarterbacks and feel more confident in their choice at the position heading into each matchup.
The Niners picked up Josh Johnson in the aftermath of the Mayfield injury. The renowned journeyman is adding yet another organization to the laundry list of teams he's played for. It's hard to imagine he'd be a more reliable option than Mayfield under center, having last played in 2021 and spending the previous two seasons in the AAF and XFL, respectively.
At worst, taking a flier on Mayfield would allow the 49ers to see what he could bring to the table. If they don't feel he offers much more than Brock Purdy, then they could simply roll with their guy. Mayfield has seemingly fallen into their lap after his release from the Panthers, so, assuming he clears waivers, the Niners should at least be giving him a long look as the season winds down.
There's no need to name Baker Mayfield the heir apparent to Jimmy Garoppolo, but bringing him in and exploring the opportunity to add him to the mix would be a wise move from John Lynch and Co.
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