It seems unbelievable to ponder, but Carolina Panthers quarterback Baker Mayfield is heading into a major make-or-break moment for his career in Week 5 against the San Francisco 49ers.
The Panthers entered the 2022 offseason with fairly low expectations. They went 5-12 last season and 2018 NFL Draft bust Sam Darnold was again expected to be the starting quarterback. However, a glimmer of hope came to Carolina when the Cleveland Browns made the bold move of trading for embattled Pro Bowl QB Deshaun Watson.
The move put a well-established talent and former top overall pick in Mayfield on the trade market and the Panthers jumped at the opportunity — although finalizing a deal did take several months. And why not? Even at his most frustrating, the one-time Heisman Trophy winner was still an upgrade over Darnold.
Related: NFL games today – Get watch times and odds for Sunday’s slate of games
As training camp played out and the team went through the preseason, Mayfield unsurprisingly and easily won the starting signal-caller spot, as well as fortified a leadership role on the team. But the honeymoon period for Mayfield and the Panthers is all but over after a 1-3 start and the team ranking as the word offense in the NFL.
This is why the 27-year-old heads into the Panthers’ Week 5 matchup against the 49ers with a great deal of pressure on his shoulders and the possibility of this being his last chance to shine as the Carolina starting QB.
Baker Mayfield’s woes as Carolina Panthers quarterback after four games
Suffice it to say, the Baker Mayfield era in Carolina has left a lot to be desired. Obviously, the former Browns starter is not one of the elite talents at his position in the NFL, however, Panthers fans expected more than what has been delivered thus far.
Over four games, Mayfield has only thrown for over 200 yards once. That came in the team’s season-opening loss to his previous squad the Cleveland Browns, where he only racked up 235 yards through the air, with one touchdown and an interception. Since then, things have gotten worse.
After scoring 24 points in Week 1, Carolina has only managed 16, 14, and 16 points, respectively, as the team has done little through the air. It isn’t a good look since Mayfield does have worthwhile weapons around him in wide receiver DJ Moore and one-time All-Pro Christian McCaffrey — who has rushed for over 100 yards twice in 2022.
Mayfield’s showing in leading the team’s offense has now thrust him into a situation where he needs to improve fast and at least help the Panthers be competitive in a difficult matchup against San Francisco on Sunday, or have the organization start making different plans for the position in 2023.
Mayfield couldn’t have a worse week needing a breakout performance
Unfortunately for Mayfield, Week 5 is probably the worst time to badly need a breakout game. If you haven’t been paying attention to the 49ers this season, beyond Jimmy Garoppolo becoming the starting QB again, the team’s defense has been a dominant force.
In Week 2 they shut down the Seattle Seahawks, a group that has been one of the best in the sport so far this season, and completely bottled up the defending champion Los Angeles Rams last week. If the 49ers had even a middle-of-the-road offense they would probably be undefeated.
If the Panthers had difficulties scoring against the New York Giants and New Orleans Saints, chances are San Francisco is going to be a nightmare. This means Mayfield is likely to head into next week the leader of a 1-4 group when he was expected to bring the Panthers back to respectability. It would move his career record as a starter to 30-34 and be the latest evidence that he could be joining Darnold as another first-round QB bust.