Getty Image / Grant Halverson
After a horrific start to the season, the Carolina Panthers finally made the decision to fire Matt Rhule. This is something the fanbase has been asking for and they’ve finally gotten their wish. However, it sounds like Baker Mayfield’s injury is a bit more serious than previously perceived, putting the franchise in a murky situation moving forward.
Panthers Can’t Catch A Break After Baker Mayfield Suffers Injury
According to Adam Schefter, Mayfield “is expected to be sidelined ‘at least a couple weeks’ with his sprained ankle.” This is less than ideal for Carolina, as the quarterback situation has been putrid for years now. Some were hopeful that a new face as the Panthers’ head coach could work in Baker Mayfield’s favor. Instead, his injury stirs up more problems for the roster.
Panthers’ QB Baker Mayfield is expected to be sidelined “at least a couple weeks” with his sprained ankle, per source. But Mayfield also getting additional medical opinions to help make best determination.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 10, 2022
With Sam Darnold still nursing his injury and rookie Matt Corral out for the entire season, Carolina is running out of options at quarterback. With three quarterbacks struggling with injuries, the Panthers are turning to PJ Walker yet again, per Ian Rapoport.
From NFL Now: #Panthers QB Baker Mayfield has an injured ankle, and PJ Walker is slated to start vs. the #Rams. pic.twitter.com/DAWoXFZy51
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 10, 2022
This franchise is absolutely crumbling right now. With a new head coach and three injured quarterbacks, it’s hard to imagine the Panthers get out of the rut at all this year. Not to mention, the owner David Tepper is under fire for backing out on building a brand new practice facility in Rock Hill, SC.
There has been a ton of wasted money in Carolina over the last couple of years. On top of that, the Matt Rhule experiment clearly didn’t pan out. His search for a starting quarterback led to his downfall. Especially considering Sam Darnold and so far Baker Mayfield has been awful under center.
It’ll be interesting to see how the Panthers move forward. This franchise has struggled to get out of the rebuilding stage. Unfortunately for them, it looks like Carolina is going to remain at the bottom of the league once again.