The Panthers' offseason move for Baker Mayfield proved to be a complete waste.
NFL Media's Ian Rapoport on Monday morning reported Carolina is set to release Mayfield, who will hit waivers later in the day once the transaction is finalized. The Panthers acquired Mayfield from the Browns in exchange for a 2024 conditional fifth-round draft pick back in July after the quarterback requested a trade out of Cleveland in wake of the Deshaun Watson blockbuster deal.
Following a preseason and training camp battle with Sam Darnold, Mayfield won the starting signal-caller job in Charlotte and was behind center for the team's 2022 season opener. The No. 1 overall draft pick struggled from the get-go and added injury to insult when he suffered a high-ankle sprain in Week 5. The 27-year-old didn't start another game for Carolina until Week 11 when he threw for only 196 yards with two interceptions and no touchdowns in a 13-3 road loss against the Baltimore Ravens.
All told, Mayfield appeared in seven games (six starts) for the Panthers, logging a 1-5 record while throwing for 1,313 yards with six touchdowns and six interceptions.
One team to keep an eye on as a potential landing spot for Mayfield is the 49ers, who lost Jimmy Garoppolo to a season-ending foot injury Sunday. Rookie Brock Purdy impressed in his NFL debut and San Francisco proceeded to add veteran Josh Johnson to its quarterback room, but Mayfield potentially could succeed in a Kyle Shanahan-orchestrated offense where he'd only be asked to be a game manager.
