Ranking the top 5 most likely post-draft starting Panthers QBs in 2022

Baker Mayfield

This is the wildcard.

The feast or famine move.

Baker Mayfield is clearly surplus to requirements on the Cleveland Browns after the team secured the services of Deshaun Watson from the Houston Texans. This obviously stung the former Oklahoma standout, who gave everything for the organization in 2021 and even played with a serious shoulder problem that required surgery following the campaign.

Perhaps Mayfield was too brave for his own good. But it’s evidence of how much he cared and even though trade talks between Cleveland and the Carolina Panthers reached a stumbling block during the draft, those in power could go back to the bargaining table depending on what transpires this offseason.

Mayfield would get an instant chance to start again, something that he might not get anywhere else with teams already happy with the options at their disposal under center.

This could be a win-win for the Panthers.

Mayfield is unlikely to cost a significant amount of draft capital and the Browns might be more willing to take on a large portion of his fully guaranteed $18.85 million the longer this situation goes on.

This would be the definition of boom or bust. But it weirdly makes a lot of sense to have a motivated Mayfield on board – a player that led Cleveland to the postseason in 2020 and would be extremely eager to prove his doubters wrong.