3 reasons Baker Mayfield makes Panthers a playoff team
Baker Mayfield is now the quarterback of the Carolina Panthers and here’s why Matt Rhule’s team can make the playoffs with their new signal-caller.
It’s finally official: Baker Mayfield is heading to the Carolina Panthers.
After being one of the most likely landing spots for the now-former Cleveland Browns quarterback, they finally reached a deal on Wednesday. Carolina is taking on $5 million of Mayfield’s salary and sending Cleveland only a 2024 fifth-round pick in exchange for the quarterback while the Browns pay $10.5 million and Mayfield takes a $3.5 million pay cut for the year.
More importantly, though, Baker Mayfield represents a notable veteran upgrade for the Panthers at quarterback as he’ll compete for the starting job with Sam Darnold — fresh off being benched in Carolina last year — and rookie Matt Corral.
It feels safe to say that Mayfield should win that starting job, however, and that could be great news for Carolina. With a new presence at quarterback, the Panthers could be a playoff team and here’s why Mayfield is the guy that makes that possible.
Panthers: 3 reasons Baker Mayfield makes Carolina a playoff team
3. Division offers an advantage for Panthers (outside of the Bucs)
Looking at the NFC South in just the past half-decade or so, it’s been a gauntlet for the Panthers to contend with. The Atlanta Falcons have been declining but were in the Super Bowl not long ago. The New Orleans Saints have been prennial contenders. And now the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been trotting timeless Tom Brady out to lead a charge towards Lombardi Trophies.
Yet, the landscape looks different for the 2022 season, at least outside of the Bucs. While Brady chose to un-retire and return to keep Tampa in contention, the Falcons are entering an extensive rebuild while the Saints are left with major questions regarding Jameis Winston and the quarterback position and how the team will fare without Sean Payton on the sidelines.
This isn’t to say that the Panthers are without holes or that they’ll run away with the division. However, two matchups apiece with New Orleans and Atlanta presents four winnable games that could put Carolina in a good spot to compete for a wild card berth.