Baker Mayfield’s Best Chance At Turning Career Around Is With Carolina Panthers

Baker Mayfield suddenly has options.

The embattled Cleveland Browns quarterback has been shopped around for three months since the acquisition of Deshaun Watson to no luck. But all of that my change very soon.

As NFL training camp nears in late July, two teams — the Carolina Panthers and Seattle Seahawks — are increasing their level of interest in Mayfield. According to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, there’s an “urgency” on the Panthers’ part to get a deal done with Mayfield.

“There’s urgency on Carolina’s side to execute the deal soon so Mayfield can get some time in minicamp with the Panthers,” Jones said on June 14. “For the Browns, it’s the best offer they have. Talks ongoing.”

While that isn’t happening with minicamp now completed, it does show the Panthers’ level of interest in Mayfield is very real. In fact, it shows that Carolina isn’t content to enter another season with Sam Darnold as its starting quarterback.

On the other side of the country, the Seahawks and Mayfield not only share “mutual” interest, Seattle is even willing to sign the veteran quarterback to a contract extension. That’s significant considering Mayfield’s future is very uncertain as he enters the final year of his contract in 2022.

“The interest between the Seahawks and Mayfield is mutual, according to league sources,” says Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network. “The Seahawks’ depth chart at quarterback dictates this situation as much as anything. The Seahawks have Drew Lock and Geno Smith currently competing for the starting job.”

They have $16.3 million in salary cap space available, so they would need to make some adjustments to absorb Mayfield’s current salary or extend him.”

This is great news for Mayfield, considering his leverage has been slim from the very beginning. Due to his $18.9 million cap hit, teams have been scared off from acquiring the once-promising quarterback.

Now that there are two viable options in place before the start of training camp, it’s obvious where Mayfield should be traded for his best chance of success — the Panthers.

While one could argue Mayfield should be happy to land anywhere for another chance at a starting gig, playing in Carolina enables the 27-year-old quarterback to emerge as a true franchise quarterback.

If Mayfield were to be traded to the Seahawks, he does arrive in an organization led by one of the most established head coaches in Pete Carroll. The issue is, the organization is in a clear rebuilding mode for the first time in years with no clear-cut direction.

Secondly, the Seahawks just so happen to play in arguably the toughest division in football in the NFC West, surrounded by physical and proven teams. The Los Angeles Rams are the defending Super Bowl champions and they could very well repeat this season. The San Francisco 49ers are coming off of an NFC Championship appearance and the Arizona Cardinals have some momentum after ending last season with a playoff berth.

If the Panthers acquire Mayfield, he arrives on a team with an unproven head coach in Matt Rhule. While Carolina isn’t exactly an example of a model franchise after having posted three consecutive five-win seasons, they play in a less-than-stellar division.

The Atlanta Falcons could emerge as the worst team in football as they enter the season with Marcus Mariota as its starting QB with no proven receiving weapons outside of Kyle Pitts. The New Orleans Saints have boom-or-bust potential with Jameis Winston returning as the starting QB after an ACL injury and the franchise entering its first season in the post-Sean Payton era.

Lastly, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will enter the season as one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl. However, after this season, Tom Brady could very well call it a career, and Tampa Bay is back on the same level as all of the other teams in the NFC South.

Fox Sports radio host Colin Cowherd explains why Mayfield should be pushing for a trade to Carolina rather than Seattle.

“If I was Baker Mayfield I would tell my agent ‘GET ME TO CARAR
OLINA, I GOT NO INTEREST IN SEATTLE.’ Seattle is not a good fit for him,” says Cowherd. “They have a 70-year-old defensive head coach, they’re in an absolutely brutal division, Seattle has the weakest roster in it, and the Seahawks just drafted two kids at offensive tackle that won’t be great year one.”

“I would tell my agent ‘GET ME TO CAROLINA, I’LL SACRIFICE STUFF,’” Cowherd continues. “Why? Because Brady is leaving after this year and that division doesn’t have a quarterback. I’m going up against Jameis Winston, Marcus Mariota, and Kyle Trask?? I’d go to the NFC South, warm weather like he played at in high school and college, Brady leaves, and I would be the most talented quarterback in that division. Baker could be the best quarterback in that division for years.”

With both the Seahawks and Panthers feeling less inclined to hide their interest in acquiring Mayfield as training camp nears, it’s obvious that the veteran quarterback’s best career move is pushing his way to Carolina.

Doing so could lead to Mayfield emerging as the franchise quarterback he was supposed to be in Cleveland.