"I don't think he's being put in a position to fail" - Mina Kimes reveals her pick between Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold in the Panthers' QB battle
Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold are locked into a fight for their careers this summer. On one side is a quarterback who has seen his share of peaks and valleys. On the other side is a quarterback already well-versed with the offense. After plenty of time to think it through, pundits and fans have already chosen who to back.
One NFL analyst has picked her favorite. Speaking on The Mina Kimes Show, show host Mina Kimes revealed her choice. She went with the former Cleveland Browns quarterback, saying the odds should be on his side. Here's how she put it:
"Let's say Baker Mayfield wins this job. I think you should win this job. We can talk about that. I don't think he's being put in a position to fail... I mean Robbie Anderson is coming off of a really probably the worst year of his career."
Baker Mayfield feeling night at home in Spartanburg @nflnetwork https://t.co/dM69S37NHp
She went on, claiming his offensive coordinator could prove to be the biggest hurdle:
"But... Anderson reunited with Higgins. Christian McCaffrey comes back and then this offensive line should be at least average. Probably the worst thing about this situation for Baker Mayfield is Ben McAdoo…"
Kimes lauded the Carolina Panthers' decision to trade for the former Browns quarterback, stating that if it works out, they still have the power to franchise tag him in 2023:
"The Baker Mayfield trade is the best thing they've done at the quarterback position with this administration. He costs $5 million this year. And then if they want to keep him they can tag him in 2020 If he plays well, but they have that option."
Baker Mayfield to Rashard Higgins, a familiar target. https://t.co/2YdHrKb67s
Baker Mayfield's road to Carolina
While the quarterback has had his share of highs in Cleveland, he's had an equal number of lows. His career with the team started well enough, winning six games in his rookie season. Considering Cleveland had won one of their last 32 games before getting the quarterback, the improvement was remarkable in the eyes of most.
Over the next three years, the quarterback's production alternated between quality and disappointment. In 2019, his second season, Cleveland went 6-10, and he threw for 22 touchdowns and 21 interceptions.
In 2020, he bounced back, throwing for a career-best 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions. His team even won a playoff game.
However, 2021 proved fatal for his chances of sticking with the team. At the end of that season, a once-Super Bowl contender finished short of a .500 record. The quarterback went 6-8, and when Deshaun Watson became available, the team found it impossible to refuse.
When Watson was added, Mayfield found himself ostracized. After several months of waiting, the team traded him to the Carolina Panthers, where he now competes with Sam Darnold. Who will win the starting job?