Baker or Darnold? Panthers in No Rush to Make QB Decision

The Carolina Panthers are in no rush to name a starting quarterback, David Newton of ESPN.com reports.

Matt Rhule, head coach of the Panthers, announced that he won’t make a significant decision on any position, especially QB, until after August 19. Preseason game. Rhule also let it be known that if one of Baker Mayfield or Sam Darnold hasn’t separated themselves from the other by that time, the decision could be delayed even further.

In essence, the Panthers acquired Mayfield from the Browns to be their starting QB. It would be an upset if Darnold were to start the season for anything more than Mayfield needing more time to learn the playbook. The Panthers have the talent to make a run at a playoff berth this season, but they will need improved play at QB.

The Panthers are +1000 to win the NFC South, behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-270) and New Orleans Saints (+350), and only ahead of the Atlanta Falcons (+2500) to win the AFC North. You can find the odds for every team to win their division at the FanDuel Sportsbook.