Who will be the Panthers starting quarterback in week 1?

The Carolina Panthers scooped up Baker Mayfield in a trade with the Cleveland Browns earlier this offseason, but don’t think that because the Panthers made moves at the quarterback position they have their week one starter sorted.

Carolina searching for a steady QB

It’s been a rough last few years at the signal caller position in Carolina. Since Cam Newton shipped off to New England at the end of the 2019 season, the Panthers have gone through six different quarterbacks. One of those quarterbacks was Cam Newton, upon his return to Carolina after a dismal spell in Foxborough.

The last time the Panthers made the playoffs was in 2017, but since then they have gone on a dry spell. Carolina won seven games the next year and then just five games in each of the next three years. If the Panthers are going to get back to the playoffs they will need some consistency at the quarterback position.

Baker Mayfield had his fair share of troubles in Cleveland as the Browns QB1. He was battling through injuries and rifts with fans in his four years at First Energy Stadium. This last season was particularly tough for Mayfield who battled though a torn labrum, but only missed three games due to injury.

Mayfield dealt with death threats last year in Cleveland

To the average fan this would look like a gutsy, courageous act trying to get his team to the playoffs on his own wounded shoulders, but the Browns fans weren’t as enthusiastic. Mayfield’s wife even revealed her husband received death threats on Instagram at the end of the season.

Mayfield finished the season unsure if he would return to Cleveland, but when the Browns acquired Deshaun Watson from the Houston Texans that sealed the deal for Baker.

He demanded a trade and the Browns started seeking options. The Panthers came knocking down the door and Mayfield was sent south while the Browns got a 2024 conditional draft pick.

Mayfield had one winning season in his four years in in Cleveland. It came two years ago when the Browns went 11-5. The Browns followed up that season with an 8-9 record last year missing the playoffs and ending the relationship between Mayfield, the Browns, and their fans.

Panthers GM says “we’ll let it play out”

The former number one overall draft pick has thrown for over 14,000 yards, 92 touchdowns and a completion percentage of 61.6%. Despite Mayfield’s established stats as a starting quarter back the Panthers say he will still have to fight for the starting quarterback job in Carolina.

Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer said Mayfield was brought in to make the whole group better, but “Sam is very much a part of this competition. ... I think they’re both gonna rise and play their best football they have.”

Sam Darnold was the starting quarterback at the start of last season after the Panthers worked a deal for with the Jets to bring him to Carolina. He had nine touchdowns and 13 interceptions last year, and has thrown for 54 touchdowns and 52 interceptions in his career between New York and Carolina.

“We’ll let it play out throughout the season and we’ll make decisions later in the season whether it’s November or December, once there’s a track record behind (Mayfield) in this offense and this organization. ... I just want to take it short term for now,” said Fitterer.