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The Carolina Panthers acquired former Heisman Trophy winner and #1 overall draft pick Baker Mayfield from the Cleveland Browns on Wednesday, July 6, in exchange for a conditional fifth-round pick in 2024. While that may have seemed like a low price at the time, the actual cost of bringing Mayfield to the organization appears to be far greater.
The Carolina Panthers have lost their head coach, wide receiver, and star running back since trading for quarterback Baker Mayfield
Since naming Mayfield the team’s starting QB ahead of former New York Jets signal-caller Sam Darnold (another 2018 first-round bust), the Panthers have compiled a 1-5 record, fired their head coach Matt Rhule, shipped deep threat pass catcher Robbie Anderson to the Arizona Cardinals, and, on Thursday night, traded Christian McCaffrey to the San Francisco 49ers.
To be fair to Carolina, they did get a solid return for the 26-year-old Pro Bowl running back, as they received a 2nd round pick in 2023, a third-rounder in 2023, a fourth-round pick in 2023, and a fifth-rounder in 2024.
And while Mayfield certainly isn’t the only thing that’s wrong with Carolina — Rhule was stinking out the joint for two years before Mayfield got there — his arrival certainly seemed to accelerate the franchise’s demise.
Drafted by the Cleveland Browns with the #1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft, the former Oklahoma Sooner spent four seasons with the team before being shipped to Carolina. It should also be noted that in 2020, Mayfield did lead the Browns to their first playoff appearance since 2002 and first postseason victory since 1994. Everything since, though, has been largely downhill.
To make matters worse for Mayfield, he’s also suffering from a high ankle sprain that is going to keep the 27-year-old sidelined for the next few weeks.