Success of Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold illustrates Panthers history of failure to develop QBs

Updated Dec. 30, 2024 1:43 p.m. ET

Associated Press

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Two years ago, the Carolina Panthers had Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold on their roster.

They deemed neither player good enough to be their franchise QB.

The Panthers cut Mayfield late in the 2022 season and Darnold was allowed to walk in free agency a few months later after neither experienced much success in Carolina.

Mayfield, the No. 1 pick in 2018, has since rebounded in a big way and is on the verge of leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a second straight NFC South title since joining the team, putting up Pro Bowl-caliber stats with 4,279 yards passing and 39 touchdowns.

Darnold, drafted two spots below Mayfield, has found a home in Minnesota, where he's thrown for 4,153 yards and 35 TDs and has the Vikings (14-2) on a nine-game win streak and in contention for the top seed in the NFC playoffs.

Mayfield’s near-flawless 359-yard, five touchdown performance in a 48-14 rout of the Panthers and Darnold’s 377-yard, three-TD outing in a 27-25 win over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday serve as stark reminder of just how badly Carolina messed up with its inability to develop either QB and failure to put the right people around them to aid in their development.

Mayfield seems to remind the Panthers every chance he gets. He's 4-0 vs. Carolina since his departure.

Most of the folks from 2022 are no longer around to blame.

Then-head coach Matt Rhule was fired early that season and interim head coach Steve Wilks did not return for 2023.

General manager Scott Fitterer, who was responsible for acquiring both QBs via trades (only to let them get away) was fired after three unsuccessful seasons.

Desperate for QB stability, the Panthers moved on from the Mayfield-Darnold era by trading up eight spots in the draft to get Alabama's Bryce Young No. 1 overall in 2023.

To facilitate that deal, the Panthers gave up wide receiver D.J. Moore and four draft picks, including one that would become the first overall pick in 2024.

The reality is Carolina's failures in realizing what they had in Mayfield and Darnold may have set the organization back a long time. The Panthers will miss the playoffs in 2024 for a seventh straight season, and given the current state of the organization there is a strong possibility that streak will continue.

What’s working

For the second straight week, the Panthers scored a touchdown on their opening possession with Young leading a 70-yard drive capped by a 17-yard scoring toss to Adam Thielen. Young is finally on the positive side of the touchdown-interception tally with 23 career TDs to 19 INTs. However, he is just 5-22 as a starter.

What needs help

Carolina's pass defense was without top cornerback Jaycee Horn and Sunday's loss to the Buccaneers illustrated just how thin the Panthers are behind him. Mayfield picked apart the Carolina defense with ease, completing 27 of 32 pass attempts, repeatedly finding wide-open receivers. He finished with a 153 QB rating. The Panthers will need to look at revamping almost the entire defense with the only players who should be considered safe being defensive end Derrick Brown, outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney, inside linebacker Josey Jewell and Horn.

Stock up

The 34-year-old Thielen had five catches for 110 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday's loss, proving once again he is still a highly productive NFL receiver. It will be interesting to see if the Panthers attempt to trade Thielen this offseason with one year left on his deal. Thielen could serve as a valuable piece for a playoff team and the Panthers are still very much in the midst of a rebuild and in need of draft picks.

Stock down

The Panthers shut down running back Chuba Hubbard for the season with a calf injury on Saturday and turned the starting job over to Raheem Blackshear. The drop-off was significant as Blackshear was limited to 20 yards on eight carries. He failed to catch a pass. That comes one week after Hubbard ran for 152 yards and two touchdowns against the Arizona Cardinals.