Panthers balance sheet: Offense in the black after Baker Mayfield trade

Can Baker Mayfield give the Carolina Panthers life?

After months of wondering just what the Carolina Panthers had planned at the quarterback position, they finally made their move. Baker Mayfield is now the new man under center barring a miraculous upturn from Sam Darnold, which cost the organization a potential fourth-round pick in 2024 and just $5 million in guaranteed money after frantic negotiations with the Cleveland Browns.

This has been a divisive move among the fanbase. Not entirely unexpected considering that Mayfield is one of the league’s most polarizing athletes.

Is this a long-term fix to an ongoing problem? Only time will tell.

Does it give the Panthers a better chance of winning? Absolutely.

Moving forward with Darnold when there was enough bad film to suggest more misery was not an option. Whether Mayfield can provide the spark remains to be seen, but he should be highly motivated to prove his doubters wrong after the way he was treated by the Browns this offseason.

Based on his 2020 form, Mayfield represents a big upgrade at the most important position on the field. It’s also worth remembering that he played most of last season with a torn labrum, which did him no favors whatsoever.