The time that Baker Mayfield has spent in Carolina up to this point has been miserable. He had a major opportunity to show the Cleveland Browns that they made a big mistake this summer, but instead, he has shown the world that he is not the quarterback that supporters once believed he was. He had a huge opportunity to show the Cleveland Browns that they had made a terrible mistake this summer.
His overall stats have been poor, as he has only managed to win one of the four games he has started as the quarterback for the Panthers. On Sunday, Mayfield, for instance, was only able to score one touchdown while also throwing two interceptions. Mayfield even coughed up the ball during their game against the Cardinals, which added insult to an already significant injury.
After the game, Stephen A. Smith went on First Take, where he criticized the Panthers quarterback for his series of poor performances and called for him to be benched. As you can see farther down on this page, Smith went so far as to warn Mayfield that he has to be on the lookout because his career might be in jeopardy right now.
"You look awful. … You do not look like a starting quarterback in the National Football League."
–@stephenasmith on Baker Mayfield pic.twitter.com/vjq29Rjy87
— First Take (@FirstTake) October 3, 2022
Even if this is a harsh opinion, there are now a lot of other NFL fans that feel the same way. Mayfield is not making a good showing at all, and if this keeps up, it is entirely possible that he may find himself without a starting job.
On July 6, 2022, Mayfield was sent from the Cleveland Browns to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for a conditional fifth-round selection pick in 2024. Mayfield faced off against Sam Darnold in the competition for the starting quarterback position with the team. On the 22nd of August in 2022, the Carolina Panthers announced that they would be starting Mayfield in their Week 1 matchup against the Cleveland Browns. Mayfield threw for 235 yards, a touchdown, and an interception in the game against the Browns, which resulted in a loss by a score of 26–24 despite a late rally.
You couldn’t have guessed that Mayfield would be in this situation at the conclusion of the 2018 season. After winning the Heisman Trophy and being selected first overall in the 2018 draft, he set an NFL rookie record for touchdown passes in a season. He had a difficult second season with 21 interceptions, but improved in year three. His stats included 26 touchdowns, 8 interceptions, an 11-5 record for the Browns, and a playoff victory.
He had a good appearance and frequently appeared in advertisements on television. It was under two years ago. It is now impossible to believe that his missed 2021 season was caused by injuries. The much criticized Sam Darnold, who is out with a high ankle sprain, was trending on Twitter during the Panthers’ 26-16 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday as a result of Mayfield’s declining performance. That is not ideal.
This season, Mayfield’s game on Sunday was quite standard. At the line, he knocked down five passes. He made poor choices and throws. On 36 attempts, Mayfield gained just 197 yards. It was terrible and the fourth game in a row that he didn’t play well. When Mayfield is healthy, Darnold, who only had nine touchdowns to 13 interceptions in his previous campaign, might take Mayfield’s place.
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