The Carolina Panthers recently added to its seemingly ever revolving quarterback carousel when the team traded for Baker Mayfield. Is is widely expected that the former No. 3 pick be the starter in Week 1 against his former team, the Cleveland Browns. If that holds true, Mayfield will be the fourth different season-opening starter in the last four years for Carolina.
In fact, Mayfield would be the eighth different starting quarterback in Charlotte since 2018. According to Pro Football Reference, Cam Newton started 21 games in two different stints, Teddy Bridgewater made 15 starts in his lone year in Carolina, Kyle Allen had 13 starts, Sam Darnold started 11 games last season, Will Grier and P.J. Walker both made a pair of starts under center, and Taylor Heinicke had one start to his credit.
The Panthers got the better end of the Mayfield deal. They will pay just $4.85 million in the final year of his contract in exchange for a conditional fifth-round pick. But, the Panthers made a huge investment by trading for Darnold, the top pick in 2018, just a year ago. Is management regretting the decision if they are already bringing in a potential replacement on a cheap one-season tryout?
Regardless which way Carolina goes at the quarterback position, it needs to make consistency the priority to halt the quarterback carousel.
