4 major observations from Baker Mayfield’s performance at NY Giants

The jury is still out on Baker Mayfield

It’s just two games and Baker Mayfield is still acclimatizing to the Carolina Panthers after arriving late in the offseason. But in terms of whether or not he’s the long-term answer, the jury is still very much out.

There have been times when Mayfield looks electrifying. However, the signal-caller remains hesitant on occasions, failing to trust his offensive line with just 1.1 seconds of average time in the pocket, according to Pro Football Reference.

Mayfield has a lot of football left and it would be a major shock if he didn’t get a full season to showcase what he can do. Although head coach Matt Rhule is connected to Sam Darnold and still believes in the former USC star for whatever reason.

The task awaiting Carolina from here on out is tremendous. Their next five games are against playoff hopefuls and the last two Super Bowl winners, so Mayfield must step up to the plate and drive his team forward in the face of adversity.

This is arguably a career-defining moment for Mayfield. Cleveland wrote him off and there was no interest outside of the Panthers in trade talks, which stung at the time and might continue into 2023 if he cannot prove his doubters wrong.

One thing’s for sure, this needs to be a collective effort. If not, then the Panthers will fall apart at the seams for the third-straight campaign under Matt Rhule.