Baker Mayfield expected to be named Week One starter in Carolina, as expected – ProFootballTalk

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The quarterback league that never really felt like a league won’t be a league for long.

As expected, Baker Mayfield is expected to be the Carolina starter. TheAthletic.com reports that it is inevitable. However, no timeline has been applied to the making of the announcement.

The Panthers traded for Mayfield after the offseason program ended. The mere fact that the deal was made gave the impression that the Panthers wanted Mayfield to play over Sam Darnold. But when Jake Delhomme, former Panthers quarterback, who currently works for the team as a broadcaster, stated that Darnold has the upper hand in the league, some began to question whether the Panthers simply added Mayfield as a low-budget proposal, leaving they choose him for a fifth round and pay only $5 million of his salary. (The Browns pay $10.5 million.)

Once camp opened, the coaching staff split up the first team reps, giving Darnold a seemingly fair chance of winning the job, while also reducing Mayfield’s chances of getting comfortable on a new team with a new one. attack. Despite not getting the full majority of reps, Mayfield has convinced the coaching staff – and presumably the locker room – that he’s the better option, at least when the Browns come to town for week one.

Even if Mayfield starts every game, Darnold will make more money this year. He has an options salary for the fifth year of $18.8 million, along with the 17th-game sweetener of $1.1 million. Mayfield, who originally had the same fifth-year salary, agreed to accept a pay cut of more than $3 million. While he can make it back through incentives must have a very special year (more than $1 million is tied to reaching the Super Bowl and winning it), the 17th game check is gone for good.

Of course, Mayfield is not thinking of not making nearly $20 million in 2022. He’s thinking about earning a lot more in 2023 and beyond. To get there, he has to play. And apparently he will, at least when the season starts.

Then it’s up to him. He must be effective. He also needs to stay healthy. To be This is my work His attitude in Cleveland allowed him to play with a bad shoulder that didn’t get thrown when clearly he shouldn’t have been on the field. In Carolina, he probably won’t receive such respect, especially with the coaching staff thinking a lot more about 2023 and beyond.