NFL preseason: Baker Mayfield named Panthers starting QB over Sam Darnold
The Carolina Panthers officially named Baker Mayfield as their starting quarterback Monday, ending the battle between him and Sam Darnold. That's quite a change from a few days ago.
After Darnold and Mayfield sat out Friday's preseason game against the New England Patriots, head coach Matt Rhule said he wasn't ready to name a starter yet.
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“Not yet,” Rhule told reporters via ProFootballTalk. “You know, not prepared for anything right now other than watching this tape. Like I said all along, when we know we know, and we’ll announce something when it’s right.”
The QB 'competition'
Though Rhule said that Mayfield and Darnold would compete for the starting spot, it never seemed like much of a battle. Mayfield has his issues, both with injuries and on-field play, but the job seemed like his to lose. If anyone was going to wrest the starting job away from him, it wouldn't be Darnold. He has struggled as a starter for several seasons, to the point that the New York Jets traded him to Carolina, while Mayfield is dynamic and has proven in the past that he can be at least average, if not more.
Former Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith recently said that Mayfield should be the starter, and phrased his reasons why in a way only he could.
Steve Smith, putting it as only he can on the Panthers' preseason telecast about QB battle:
On Baker Mayfield, who 89 believes should start: Charisma, swagger, John Wayne mentality.
On Sam Darnold: "He’s going to put you to sleep, reading a book. We don’t need any librarians."— Scott Fowler (@scott_fowler) August 20, 2022
Week 1 drama
The announcement of Carolina's starting QB sets up some major Week 1 drama. The Panthers are scheduled to play the Cleveland Browns to open the season, the team that traded Mayfield to Carolina earlier this year to make room for Deshaun Watson. Watson won't be playing, as he was suspended 11 games after being accused of sexual misconduct and assault by numerous massage therapists, but Mayfield will face the team he was playing for just a year ago.
Mayfield, who was drafted first overall by Cleveland in 2018, was once hailed as the future of the franchise, the quarterback who would lead the Browns out of their long, long, long period of badness and irrelevancy. Instead, he's playing for the Panthers and the Browns still haven't made it past the divisional round of the playoffs for over 30 years.
