What were some major observations from Carolina Panthers quarterback Baker Mayfield’s first preseason outing at the Washington Commanders?
After an offseason full of drama, Baker Mayfield finally took to the field for his first taste of life under center with the Carolina Panthers. The quarterback remains in “competition” with Sam Darnold for the No. 1 job, with head coach Matt Rhule giving both the chance to shine at the Washington Commanders on Saturday afternoon.
Although many expect Mayfield to be the team’s starter in Week 1 against the Cleveland Browns following an impressive training camp, seeing what the signal-caller could bring in a typical gameday setting was also important. Former Panthers head coach Ron Rivera wasn’t going to do his old employers any favors, which made for a fascinating battle to open Carolina’s warmup fixtures.
There is a growing sense of excitement surrounding Mayfield, who’s integrated superbly after his trade shortly before camp, establishing himself within the locker room and adapting to Ben McAdoo’s system well given the short timeframe.
Even though it was a small sample size, here are some major observations from Mayfield’s preseason debut.
Major Observation No. 1
Baker Mayfield was Carolina Panthers QB1
There was a real tell from the Carolina Panthers regarding Baker Mayfield’s status after his quarterback competition with Sam Darnold throughout camp. The coaching staff named him as their starter for the game at Washington, which was a sign that this is now his job to lose.
Nobody really expected anything else considering how well Mayfield performed in camp. But it was still up in the air given Matt Rhule’s insistence that Darnold was still in the running.
Whether this changes much over the next few weeks in terms of reps is still undetermined. However, it was a positive step for the Oklahoma product nonetheless.
Baker Mayfield’s decision-making was sound
The Carolina Panthers got themselves a three-and-out to start the game and Baker Mayfield wasted no time in putting the defense’s impressive work to good use. The quarterback looked in charge under center and demonstrated sound decision-making that ultimately led to a field goal.
Mayfield let the Panthers down the field nicely, which could have been better had it not been for a key drop by Robbie Anderson with hits coming his way. There also seemed to be real composure to his play despite pressure coming in his face on one or two occasions.
The Heisman Trophy winner went 4/7 for 45 passing yards, taking what the defense gave him more often than not, but making sure those receiving the football were put in the best possible position to succeed.
That might not sound like much. But after what the Panthers endured last season with Sam Darnold, it’s a major positive and something that will serve them well during the regular season.
It’s easy to read too much into one series. And it’s also worth remembering that the starting offensive line is likely to change after Pat Elflein and Michael Jordan both started.
However, this was polished and something Mayfield and the Panthers can build upon.
Baker Mayfield’s chemistry with Shi Smith
Although it was a very small taste of what Baker Mayfield could bring to the Carolina Panthers, it was encouraging to see the quarterback continue developing chemistry with a wide receiver that could have a sneaky part to play in 2022.
Shi Smith was prominent throughout Mayfield’s opening drive, bringing in two receptions to move the chains thanks to a combination of nice play-calling, good distribution, and smooth route running. Something that was seldom seen from the former sixth-round selection last time around.
It was a rookie campaign littered with frustrations for Smith. But he’s made a strong impression throughout camp and this additional cohesion with Mayfield is something that further enhances his chances of more involvement as a sophomore.
Mayfield seemed confident in Smith’s ability to generate yards under pressure. At a time when Carolina’s pass-catchers need consistency more than ever, this could be a surprise some teams won’t see coming in a competitive environment.
Obviously, Mayfield will prefer others as the season goes on. But with D.J. Moore, Terrace Marshall Jr., and Christian McCaffrey sitting out the game, the South Carolina product did his hopes of additional targets no harm at all.
Botched snap highlights the need for more Baker Mayfield reps
One little glitch came during the drive when a botched snap between Baker Mayfield and center Pat Elflein resulted in a fumble that the quarterback, fortunately, fell on. This was a key component behind the team’s drive stalling and highlighted the dangers of splitting reps throughout camp in Spartanburg.
Of course, things like this can happen even with one player taking the majority of snaps. But the chances of occurrences like this coming to light decrease significantly.
Splitting reps with Mayfield and Sam Darnold was always risky. And just why Elflein continues to start at the center position despite the arrival of Bradley Bozeman in free agency is anyone’s guess.
This should be a wake-up call to Matt Rhule and his staff that the situation cannot continue for much longer. If they want to move forward with Mayfield as anticipated, then put the starting offensive line with him during practices and allow the signal-caller to develop cohesion in such a critical area of play.
Any more indecision could come with grave consequences. Mayfield looks more assured in the pocket, but that will only get him and the Panthers so far once competitive games commence and everyone starts going at full speed.
Overall, it was encouraging. However, this is a complication Carolina doesn’t need.