Ex-Panthers flame-out QB Baker Mayfield opens up on pre-Bucs career

During the dark ages between the Cam Newton and Bryce Young eras, the Carolina Panthers truly cycled through quarterbacks. They tried out Sam Darnold, Cam Newton's ghost, PJ Walker, Kyle Allen, and Baker Mayfield, all in search of that elusive franchise quarterback.

Now, Mayfield is an absolute stud, a dominant force that gets to torment the Panthers twice a year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Then, he looked like a total bust who understandably didn't even last the season in Carolina. Now, he's opening up on his pre-Tampa stops, which include Carolina.

Baker Mayfield wasn't at home with Panthers

The Cleveland Browns had hoped Baker Mayfield would be their savior. After some success, they abandoned him in favor of Deshaun Watson, a choice that has aged so poorly. When they did that, the Panthers adopted the hope that he would be their savior. He wasn't.

"From the time I stepped foot in Tampa, from our front office guys and Todd Bowles, they’ve just told me to be myself and the best version of that," Mayfield revealed via DJ Siddiqi with Forbes. "They’ve allowed me to do that. It’s one thing to say it, but it’s another thing to allow me and give me the freedom or pieces and resources to be able to do that."

He said the Bucs are "definitely home" for him. That may seem like a veiled shot at the Panthers and Browns. It would be more than justified, and it's accurate. The Panthers used him as a scout-team defensive end. But Mayfield refused to point to the Panthers or the Browns.

"It’s not always like that at other places," Mayfield added. "That’s nothing talking bad about other organizations, but not every city or team is the right fit for each person. It's taken me quite a few head coaches in different cities to find the right spot, but it's definitely home."

The Panthers finally do have their franchise QB in Bryce Young, but it's less than fun to imagine what could've been with Mayfield, who clearly was not the problem in that brief, ill-fated relationship.

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