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After months of waiting and speculation, Baker Mayfield finally has a home again. The former Cleveland Browns quarterback has been traded to the Carolina Panthers. Now, Mayfield gets to play for an NFL team in 2022 that he actually likes.
It would surprise many fans to know, though, that the deal almost got axed due to a little dispute. According to Joseph Person and Zac Jackson of The Athletic, the Panthers wanted Baker Mayfield to take a pay cut of $7 million to facilitate the deal. However, the former Browns QB was only willing to give up half of that amount.
Luckily for the Panthers, Mayfield agreed to a compromise. The QB would still take a pay cut of $7 million like the team requested. However, Mayfield could recoup half of this amount through incentives. They agreed to the terms of the contract, and the rest is history.
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When he's healthy, Baker Mayfield is arguably better than the current versions of Cam Newton and Sam Darnold. He's not a superstar quarterback like, say, Tom Brady or Patrick Mahomes. However, he's good enough to not let you lose games. When he's on, he can even will his team to victories. Mayfield, when healthy, is the kind of stable presence the Panthers sorely lacked at QB over the last few years
The key point for Baker next season will be his health. The quarterback's performance tanked last season due to a nagging shoulder problem that messed with his mechanics. Should he stay healthy and confident, the Panthers can (and most likely will) make some serious noise in a top-heavy NFC.
