4 Panthers players whose stock crashed beyond repair in 2022

Baker Mayfield – Former Carolina Panthers QB

Now comes a selection that no one is surprised to see on this list, quarterback Baker Mayfield.

While there is something to be said about the flashes Mayfield showed during his time with the Los Angeles Rams, the point remains that he isn’t the same player that led the Cleveland Browns to their first postseason in many fans’ lifetimes.

I’ve spoken about this at length, but that fire is just not there anymore. That passion, the desire to prove to the world just how good Mayfield is has disappeared. And with it the very thing that made the quarterback special.

I was one of many who thought Mayfield’s acquisition was a shrewd bit of business for the Carolina Panthers. Hopes were high that the team could finally take a positive step forward with a solid and reliable signal-caller running the show.

Things got intriguing after Mayfield failed to pull away in an open competition with incumbent starter Sam Darnold during training camp or even throughout the preseason until the former New York Jet injured his ankle. Then came the on-field performances, or lack thereof.

Mayfield simply was not the player anyone expected to see. While some of that can be thrust upon the coaching staff, the quarterback shoulders plenty of the blame himself.

That said, there is still a place for Mayfield in the NFL as a solid backup. But that is the ceiling for a once incredibly promising young star – a glaring indicator of how quickly things have changed for the former No. 1 overall selection.