Although the NFL’s quarterback carousel has turned at a morbidly fast pace, one thing has remained the same – the Carolina Panthers still do not have an answer below center. So could one of the quarterbacks who has just been thrown from said carousel be a possibility?
Maybe . . . but not really.
According to Athletics‘s Jeff Howe, Panthers have had “preliminary discussions with peeps from Cleveland Brown’s quarterback (and soon to be fired) Baker Mayfield. Carolina has apparently also been joined in their reported talks by the Seattle Seahawks – the only other team left without a clear answer on the position.
“Mayfield‘s camp has had initial discussions with the Seahawks and Panthers, according to a source, ”wrote Howe. “However, nothing seems imminent at this point.”
The former overall No. 1 pick has essentially become deadweight for the Browns, as they see it as if they hit the field – which included the Panthers – and bought former Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson. Oh, and they also guaranteed the fighting star a league record of $ 230 million.
But going back to Baker, Howe’s “nothing seems imminent” details could indicate that this is just another case of due diligence on Carolina’s part. Remember that general manager Scott Fitterer is “on every deal.”
In addition, new offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo is a documented skeptic of Mayfield. In an interview with New York Post In terms of the 2018 draft quarterback class, McAdoo ranked the then reigning Heisman Trophy winner as number six out of six possible prospects.
“He has a head start, I like that. He wants to lead, they want to follow him,” McAdoo said of beating writer Paul Schwartz of Mayfield. “I did not see a lot of pro-style football on his college band. And if you’re short, you have to be able to make up for it somehow, and the personality does not. “I did not think he was a great athlete. This guy is a bit like a pocket quarterback who is short and with small hands, that’s what I care about. ”
And McAdoo was not exactly wrong when Cleveland jumped at the chance to upgrade from Mayfield after several seasons of intermission. Now it looks like the Browns would be lucky to get a mediocre compensation for the disgruntled pass, and it probably won’t come from the Panthers.