What The Baker Mayfield Trade Means For Other QBs
After weeks upon weeks of rumors, predictions, and speculation, the Cleveland Browns have traded former No. 1 overall pick Baker Mayfield to the Carolina Panthers.
The Panthers traded a conditional fifth-round pick in exchange for the former Heisman winner. To compare, the Panthers traded a 2021 sixth-round pick, as well as second and fourth-round picks in 2022, to the Jets for Sam Darnold.
With the acquisition of the polarizing quarterback, what exactly does this mean, not only for Mayfield, but for the remaining Panthers quarterbacks and other notable on-the-market signal callers around the NFL?
Baker Mayfield:
Mayfield is the starter. There is very little argument to that statement. With a new start on a new team, Mayfield does make the Panthers better. He is more talented than any other quarterback they currently have, and Carolina’s defense is amongst the best up-and-coming units on paper in the NFL. Christian McCaffrey is still going to be the major focal point of the offense. However, if Mayfield can build rhythm with D.J. Moore and Robbie Anderson and give Carolina a balanced attack, the Panthers can be a tough out each week and stay in the Wildcard hunt.
Sam Darnold:
If the lights aren’t out for Sam Darnold as a starter, they are fading very fast at bare minimum. Darnold had a fast start in 2021, and then the wheels fell off. Darnold has a cap hit of just over $18 million, so the likelihood of him being released or traded are slim. The No. 2 spot on the depth chart is likely where he will be in 2022. While he may not be a starter, he would become one of the best backups in the league should that be the role he plays. A contender could get through a month with Darnold at the helm. While that may not be what he wants to hear, it is the reality of where things are going.
Matt Corral:
Corral has all the tools you could want in a modern NFL quarterback. He has a good arm, he’s quick, and he can run. He is somewhat of a project- he went in the third round for a reason- but the talent is definitely there. If the Panthers realize that Mayfield isn’t their long-term answer, Corral could be the guy atop the depth chart going into 2023.
P.J. Walker:
Walker was a fun story going from XFL star to NFL cult-favorite backup. However, good stories don’t translate to high-quality play. Walker is a fine backup who can make the occasional big play, but he has reached his ceiling. He will either find himself on the Panthers’ practice squad or signed elsewhere at the end of the preseason.
Cam Newton:
It wasn’t likely that Newton would be brought back to Carolina after the dumpster fire that was his 2021 comeback. Frankly, there was no reason for the Panthers to bring Newton back again. His days as a starter are behind him, and Carolina’s future plans don’t include him.
Jimmy Garoppolo:
This is who the Panthers should have traded for. Garoppolo isn’t elite, but he is better than Mayfield, and gets them closer to being a playoff team than the former Sooner. Many expected Garoppolo to be the first domino to fall in terms of quarterback movement this offseason. It turns out, however, that he is still in San Francisco having yet to be moved. The overwhelming expectation is that he will remain a 49er until another team sees their starter go down with injury.
Overall, the trade is head-scratching for both sides. The Browns now only have Jacoby Brissett behind Deshaun Watson. If Watson does get suspended for a long period of time, the Browns will now have a worse quarterback to turn to. For the Panthers, Garoppolo was the better option to go after, and they chose Mayfield instead. Carolina is better today than they were yesterday, but they could have had more.
