The Carolina Panthers’ quarterback battle is the main story out of Spartanburg, South Carolina, where training camp is currently underway. Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield are splitting QB1 reps 50/50 while Matt Corral waits no-so-quietly in the wings. Here’s a breakdown of the Panthers’ QBs through the first few days of camp.
Darnold leading in camp
Sam Darnold has performed best in two of Carolina’s four full practice days, according to the Charlotte Observer. Day 2 was won by Mayfield, while day 4 featured surprise co-champions, Corral and P.J. Walker. Therefore, Darnold is leading the training camp battle heading into the team’s first padded practice on Monday.
Through two days, we had seen an inconsistent Mayfield along with a tentative Darnold, but that changed on day three.
“Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold spent his first two training camp practices distributing most of his pass attempts to tight ends and running backs. That changed on Friday,” Carolette Observer reporter Ellis Williams said. “Day 3 of Panthers training camp featured a more aggressive Darnold. He let a few deep balls loose that could’ve been confused for Baker Mayfield throws.”
Darnold’s best throw was a 50-yard strike down the middle of the field to Terrace Marshall Jr. in 11-on-11s. As you can see in the video below, Darnold is looking his way the whole time and trusts Marshall to go up and make the play in single coverage.
https://twitter.com/panthers/status/1553051436912709636?s=21&t=zOkI4LfbcKIyIdF0zsl8uQ
Nobody has impressed
That level of trust is something Mayfield does not yet have with these receivers, apart from maybe D.J. Moore.
On day four, the final scrimmage before pads on Monday, both signal-callers threw interceptions and Mayfield was an abysmal 7-of-18 on the day. So, neither QB has been able to challenge the piss-poor narrative surrounding the Panthers’ quarterback room.
Mayfield is still the more proven player, but he needs to develop a rapport with these receivers that Darnold already has. Learning a new offense as well as creating chemistry with new receivers can be overwhelming. Don’t think this competition is a done deal.
Mayfield still the favorite
Through just four full practices, nobody has been able to pull ahead. That means Baker Mayfield is still the favorite to land the starting job. The former Heisman winner hasn’t adjusted to the offense right away but has shown a promising connection with star wideout DJ Moore. The two connected on a 40-yard bomb in their day-two scrimmage.
https://twitter.com/Panthers/status/1552705827542384640?s=20&t=NyfyBTsMCEVAg3-42O1OHA
Moore was also a frequent target of Mayfield’s in their red zone drill, according to Dean Jones of Cat Crave.
“The Maryland product stated his intent to get more touchdowns in 2022,” Jones said. “Moore was a prominent target of Mayfield’s throughout red-zone drills, which is hopefully a sign of things to come for a player who is now an indispensable member of the roster.”
Mayfield’s connection with Carolina’s No. 1 pass-catcher, a guy who is criminally underrated and astoundingly athletic, will help him pull away in this competition, even if he doesn’t perform as well as Darnold. Due to his winning experience in college and the pros, Mayfield can stay ahead by simply feeding Moore and forging that bond.
Let’s not forget the season Baker cooked up in 2020. The Cleveland Browns starter won 11 games as well as a playoff game at Heinz Field, followed by a hard-fought loss against the eventual Super Bowl-Champion Chiefs. Mayfield started all 16 games that season and threw 26 scores and only 8 picks. Darnold has never met any of those seasonal marks. He’s always thrown more interceptions and less touchdowns while playing just 12-13 games in each of his four seasons. Thus, Mayfield still has the upper hand as camp starts to heat up.
Where does Corral stand?
Corral has impressed so far this camp with his quick release and athleticism, although he’s watching the starting QB battle from afar. Carolina has decided to let him develop rather than tossing him into the starting race.
That being said, Corral has turned heads in the first few days with his gunslinger attributes and pinpoint accuracy. Here’s 23 seconds of pure Matt Corral, as he runs through a play-action drill, followed by a one-handed catch, followed by an absolute dot into the net at the back corner of the end zone. The fans cheered loudly as Corral got support from Baker.
https://twitter.com/nflrookiewatxh/status/1553474186416472064?s=21&t=WI7H1vAG_pW9sx-E9K-Mrw
Corral looks like the fiery, high-ceiling guy that Panthers GM Scott Fitterer had at the top of their quarterback draft board. He’s very motivated and could only work his way into the starting conversation mid-season if both Mayfield and Darnold falter. For now, however, he would do well to learn from two quarterbacks’ successes as well as their failures…
Conclusion
If the decision were made today, Mayfield would have the job because of his track record and his leadership. Everyone at camp is rallying around his energy, which is something Carolina hasn’t had at QB since No. 1 ran the show. Therefore, Baker will remain the favorite unless Darnold can dethrone him, not the other way around.
Everything changes on Monday when pads enter the equation, so expect a steady stream of QB controversy throughout the next two weeks. The starting decision could come as soon as the end of camp or as late as mid-pre-season. Either way, one thing is clear: Carolina’s quarterback battle has officially begun.
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