Quick Hits: Panthers Interest in Trading for Baker Mayfield
About a month or so ago, rumors linking the Panthers to Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield were exactly that - rumors. A league source had informed me that the Panthers were "not expected" to express interest in the former No. 1 overall pick but now, things have changed.
With Deshaun Watson passing on the Panthers and the top free agent quarterbacks no longer available, the options are running thin for Carolina to try and upgrade the most important position on the field. A team as desperate as the Panthers will look at every possible option, including Mayfield.
The biggest issue regarding a Baker Mayfield trade is the contract that comes with it. He, just like current starting quarterback Sam Darnold, will be due $18 million in 2022. Carrying both quarterbacks at that price tag is something GM Scott Fitterer is not willing to do, nor should he.
Cleveland is going to have to be realistic when it comes to the asking price for Mayfield. Considering how diluted the market is for quarterback-needy teams, a fifth or sixth round pick seems reasonable. However, if the Panthers want Cleveland to pay all or the majority of Mayfield's 2022 salary, which is likely, the compensation will be slightly richer.
From everything I've been told, the Panthers will likely hold off on striking a deal for Mayfield or any other veteran quarterback until the draft passes.
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