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Baker Mayfield is headed to the Carolina Panthers. After finally getting the trade he wanted from the Cleveland Browns, he will be heading to Carolina in the hopes of bouncing back from his poor performance last season.
The Panthers are not expected to be much better with Mayfield. He will still have to prove that he can lead an offense and make high-level throws on a consistent basis. He will have the benefit of a solid wide-receiver tandem with D.J. Moore and Robbie Anderson, though the latter may not be super thrilled to get to work with him.
Here are three bold predictions for how Mayfield's first season with the Panthers will go.
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3 bold predictions for Baker Mayfield in his first season with the Panthers
3. Mayfield starts the whole season (barring injury)
Only in a trade like this would there be doubt about the new quarterback starting on his new team. Mayfield leaves room for doubt because of how bad he was last season. The good news for him is that he joins perhaps the worst quarterback room in the whole league.
Carolina's main starter last season was Sam Darnold, who continued to be a blunder just as he was with the New York Jets. The Panthers drafted Matt Corral 94th overall in this year's draft. He could be a diamond in the rough but at the moment does not inspire much confidence in being a true starter. Beating out those two options should not be too hard.
Mayfield has shown that he can be a solid quarterback several times in his career, which actually gives Carolina some hope of contending for the playoffs if everything goes right. He will have to remain consistent in order to keep his spot. However, with the knowledge of who is backing him up, he should have plenty of room for error before officially getting yanked.
2. The Panthers' offense is bottom 10 in scoring again
Although Mayfield had a brutal 2021 season, he was hampered by injury. He should have a bounceback season and be better. But that doesn't exactly mean Carolina will turn everything around. His issues are still lingering and limit the offense's abilities.
Much of the Panthers' improvement, if they make any, will be because of Christian McCaffrey finally staying healthy and the addition of Ikem Ekwonu. Having Mayfield instead of Darnold is a very noticeable upgrade but still not one that makes the offense a truly good one.
Mayfield's reluctance/inability to throw deep suggests that the Panthers will have to rely on McCaffrey, Anderson and Moore in the open field. The weaknesses in his mechanics, combined with his ludicrous decision-making, kill drives. McCaffrey's versatility will help out a lot but he can only do so much.
Although Mayfield will likely help the offense get better, Carolina will be extra glad they signed star punter Johnny Hekker.
1. This is Mayfield's only season with Carolina
The Panthers sure like to beat around the bush when it comes to finding a quarterback for their future. Eventually, they will have to give up the reclamation projects and just draft/trade for one or let Matt Corral try his hand at leading the offense.
Mayfield will have to show serious improvement for Carolina to retain him for another year. He can be a decent quarterback but the Panthers don't have an outstanding infrastructure around him. The Browns made the playoffs with him under center because they had, in addition to stars at skill positions, a good offensive line and a very good defense. Carolina does not have either right now, though their defense could be a very solid unit.
Mayfield can buy more time as Carolina's quarterback by putting up 25+ touchdowns and bringing his interceptions down. Eventually, though, they will decide that he isn't the answer under center. And it could happen after just one year.
