Getty Baker Mayfield waves after the Panthers' win over the Broncos on November 27, 2022, in what would be his last appearance with Carolina.
July 6, 2022: The day that officially sparked the launching of who would win the top starting quarterback duties for the Carolina Panthers between original starter Sam Darnold and the newcomer to Charlotte Baker Mayfield, in a battle between top five draft picks from the same class.
Five months later, it’s the man who once signed a $30 million deal with the New York Jets before being traded to Carolina — plus arriving a year before before Mayfield did — who ends up keeping the QB1 duties…while Mayfield has drifted off to the “Rams House” after six games with the Panthers.
Mayfield went from asking for his release on Monday, December 5 to being claimed off waivers by the Los Angeles Rams the following day. His arrival comes with the Rams dealing with a needy quarterback room stung with neck pain (John Wolford) and spinal cord contusion involving their own QB1 (Matthew Stafford).
Darnold, meanwhile, ends up winning the truncated battle of 2018 first round signal callers vying for the reins behind center. But did Darnold perform a victory lap? Or was Darnold classy about still remaining in the teal, black and silver while watching Mayfield head off to L.A.?
Darnold Breaks Silence
The former No. 3 overall pick Darnold broke his silence on watching Mayfield move on with the Charlotte media on Wednesday.
Darnold revealed the kind of relationship he and the man who went two spots ahead had: One without animosity and friction.
“First and foremost, the guy and just who he is — throughout training camp, having a competition with him and all that — he was nothing but the best to me and all the guys in the locker room and the coaching staff,” Darnold said. “Total class act. Not only in training camp, but throughout the season as well with everything that happened. Him getting hurt, me and PJ [Walker] playing a little bit. Nothing but a class act. And, again, such a great teammate to have in the locker room.”
The four-year veteran Darnold — who went from signing a four-year, $30,247,715 deal in New York to earning a base salary of $!8,858,000 in 2022 with Carolina per Spotrac — then shared his reaction on seeing Mayfield latch on with the Rams.
“I think any time you can find work in this league — like I kinda said last week — any time you get an opportunity to play in this league, it’s a great opportunity,” he said of Mayfield landing in L.A. “And I know he feels the same way that I do in that regard, in that you don’t take any snap for granted you get in this league.”
First Footage of Mayfield at Rams Practice Posted
Mayfield hopped out of his flight to L.A. and immediately started slinging the football in Thousand Oaks.
One image of Mayfield was already posted by the Rams: With Mayfield now rocking No. 17.
New face in LA.
And, the Rams’ Instagram account captured some short footage of Mayfield walking onto the practice grass next to Cal Lutheran University and throwing it deep downfield.
With his arrival, plus the injury bug behind center, many fans are wondering if Mayfield will suit up immediately against the Las Vegas Raiders even on short timing. His new head coach Sean McVay answered that question via Zoom conference Wednesday.
“It would be unprecedented from my experiences because of everything that a quarterback’s asked to do, to bring him in in such a short period of time and have him go out there,” McVay said. “But I do think he would be capable of it if we asked.
McVay ended with saying “But we’ll take that really one day at a time until Thursday.”