4 crucial matchups to monitor closely in Panthers 2022 training camp

Baker Mayfield vs. Phil Snow

It is not Phil Snow’s job to make Baker Mayfield look good during training camp. The defensive coordinator will be focused on getting his side of the football primed and ready for competitive games and if that means giving the newly acquired quarterback a hard time, then so be it.

Mayfield is coming to the Carolina Panthers with a big chip on his shoulder after he was deemed surplus to requirements by the Cleveland Browns. This represents an instant chance to start again and prove his doubters wrong, but he won’t want Snow’s defense complicating matters with the spotlight on over the next few weeks in training camp.

This will be fascinating to watch. Especially as Mayfield is still picking up the playbook and could be learning as he goes until the latter stages of camp.

Snow is a wily coach that will be giving Mayfield all he can handle, one suspects. This will also help out the offense in pursuit of finding the right solutions to bring the Oklahoma product up to speed at the earliest possible opportunity.

This latest quarterback gamble will be the last for Matt Rhule if Mayfield doesn’t pan out as anticipated. But if the signal-caller can return to the form that saw him steer Cleveland to their first playoff win since 1994 in 2020, then he can become the spark that propels this offense to great things next time around.