Veteran QB Baker Mayfield, Panthers agree to part ways
Quarterback Baker Mayfield has fallen a long way since being the first overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft.
Mayfield will now have to look for his next step stop after the Panthers waived him on Monday. The decision came after both sides mutually agreed that parting ways was the best direction.
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The former Heisman Trophy winner had been inactive on the Panthers’ roster for the last few weeks. He became irrelevant after Sam Darnold returned to the lineup. He had become the team’s third-string quarterback behind Darnold and P.J. Walker.
The move places Mayfield on waivers, where he could become an unrestricted free agent if he goes unclaimed by 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday. The San Francisco 49ers could be a team that snatches him as the team is down to their third-string quarterback in Brock Purdy, after Jimmy Garoppolo suffered a broken foot against the Miami Dolphins.
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Purdy performed respectably well against the Dolphins, completing 25-of-35 passes for 210 yards, two touchdowns, and an 88.8 passer rating. He has the reins of the offense as the 49ers hope to push toward a run to the Super Bowl.
Baker Mayfield would provide the 49ers with a security net in case of injury, along with an opportunity to show if he could be a better option under center.
The Oklahoma product had hoped to cash in next offseason, but his continued descent has led him to become a journeyman quarterback. Things could turn around for Mayfield, given the right opportunity, but that may be a more difficult path to navigate moving forward.
