Getty The Rams and Bengals line up along the line of scrimmage during Super Bowl 56 played on February 13, 2022.
When the Los Angeles Rams begin their Week 6 preparation for the Carolina Panthers this upcoming season, former L.A. area star Sam Darnold may no longer be the starting quarterback the Super Bowl 56 champs will prepare for.
Instead, the Rams now will add Baker Mayfield‘s name to their list of players in the Panther scouting report.
Reported by the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero on Tuesday, July 6, the Cleveland Browns traded their embattled signal-caller and former No. 1 overall pick in 2018 to Carolina. In return, the Panthers received a conditional fifth round pick in 2024.
A new QB in Carolina: The #Panthers are acquiring former No. 1 overall pick Baker Mayfield from the #Browns for a 2024 conditional 5th-round draft pick, sources tell me and @TomPelissero. Deal is pending a physical. All parties split the financials to make it happen.
Pelissero included how Carolina was always the front runner to land Mayfield.
The #Panthers were always the frontrunner for Baker Mayfield, who requested a trade back in March.
So after months of talks, Carolina gets its QB, Mayfield gets the fresh start he wanted and Cleveland officially turns the page to Deshaun Watson.
Mayfield is joining a QB room that features fellow 2018 NFL Draft class mate Darnold (the No. 3 overall pick out of USC) and third round draft selection Matt Corral out of Ole Miss — who also has Southern California ties with the former Trojan Darnold having played high school football at both Oaks Christian in Westlake Village (located 20 minutes north from the Rams’ practice field next to Cal Lutheran) and Long Beach Poly.
But Mayfield gets added to a long list of past 3,000-yard passers the Rams will eventually see during their title defense. It’s a list that features Josh Allen in the season opener, Kyler Murray in Week 3 and Dak Prescott on October 9, a week before the Panthers come to SoFi Stadium.
Mayfield Also Joining Ex-Ram
Mayfield isn’t just getting a new locker to himself on the east coast. He’ll be in a room with a key member from the Rams’ Super Bowl run.
Austin Corbett is penciled in to man the right guard spot for the Panthers this fall. And Corbett comes over to Carolina helping block for Matthew Stafford, Sony Michel and company.
The 6-foot-4, 280-pounder would go on to become one of the prized signings during the free agency period for Carolina as he signed a three-year, $26.25 million deal.
It just so happens Mayfield and the former Ram have been teammates before. Corbett was the Browns’ top draft selection in the second round of that ’18 draft as he was taken at No. 33 overall out of Nevada. Mayfield and Pro Bowl cornerback Denzel Ward went ahead of him. Corbett was the only trench option for that Cleveland class. He was also taken ahead of Nick Chubb.
Corbett, though, didn’t last long in Cleveland but eventually rejuvenated himself with the Rams. He surrendered just three sacks with the Rams last season — but none during the playoffs.
Mayfield Versus the Rams Plus Other Reunion
Mayfield has only seen the Rams once in his five season career.
That came on a Sunday Night Football game in 2019 in front of the “Dawg Pound,” which was also one of his worst statistical outings that season. Mayfield went on to complete 18-of-36 passes for 195 yards and one touchdown pass, but was intercepted once and sacked three times in the 20-13 loss. And his pick came inside the end zone against a future Browns teammate of his.
Mayfield was also called out online for missing a slant route in the end zone orchestrated by Pro Bowler Jarvis Landry.
Looked like Baker Mayfield missed Jarvis Landry on a slant that would have put the Browns in position to kick the game-tying extra point on third down. Look at Jarvis’ reaction after the play. On fourth down, the Rams bring the blitz and Mayfield throws an interception.
But now, Mayfield will be among the QBs the Rams will face who are getting a new start elsewhere — joining longtime Rams rival Russell Wilson (will face the Rams on Christmas Day with his new team the Denver Broncos) and Marcus Mariota (backed up Derek Carr with the Las Vegas Raiders).
Lastly, Mayfield will also be on the opposite sidelines from another former teammate: Slot cornerback Troy Hill, who returned to L.A. after one season with the Browns.