Baker Mayfield was traded from Cleveland to Carolina when the Browns decided to throw $230 million guaranteed at former Houston QB Deshaun Watson despite the nearly two dozen sexual assault allegations against Watson that ultimately led to an 11-game suspension.
Funny how things work out sometimes: Mayfield, now the starting QB for the Panthers, faces Cleveland, which will go with journeyman Jacoby Brissett under center, on Sunday in Week 1.
Mayfield, the #1 pick in the 2018 draft, had to beat out the #3 pick from that draft class, Sam Darnold, for the starting job in Carolina.
The door was wide open for Mayfield after Darnold struggled in his first year with the Panthers, in which he was 4-7 as the starter, throwing for 2,527 yards, nine TDs and 13 INTs, and a 71.9 passer rating.
Mayfield battled through a litany of injuries last season in Cleveland, ultimately starting 14 games, going 6-8 as a starter, and throwing for 3,010 yards, 17 TDs and 13 INTs, and an 83.1 passer rating.
The Panthers hope they’re getting the pre-injury Mayfield, the 2017 Heisman Trophy winner, who led the Browns to a playoff berth in 2020, going 11-5 as a starter, throwing for 3,563 yards, 26 TDs and eight INTs, and a 95.9 passer rating.
Mayfield is 29-30 as a starter, but that’s after Cleveland had gone 1-31 in the two seasons before his arrival in 2018.
The 2022 season could be a make-or-break year for Carolina coach Matt Rhule, a surprise hire in 2020 after going 75-66 in seven seasons at the college level at Temple and Baylor.
Rhule’s first two Panthers teams finished 5-11 and 5-12.
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Chris Graham
