The Carolina Panthers’ top brass made it clear in March that the team plans to add another quarterback to the roster this offseason.
Whether they add a rookie or a veteran, Sam Darnold and backup P.J. Walker won’t be the only quarterbacks in the room come August.
Darnold wasn’t good enough last season to earn the starting job for the 2022 season. He didn’t play winning football in 2021, after throwing nine touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 12 games. Those numbers are reserved for a backup.
And it’s why you shouldn’t rule out the Panthers trying to acquire either Jimmy Garoppolo or Baker Mayfield this offseason, especially if they choose to pass on a quarterback in April’s draft.
The Panthers like what Malik Willis, Kenny Pickett and Matt Corral could potentially offer, but they also understand that taking one of those quarterbacks with the sixth pick is a gamble. There may also be a better option at six.
So that leads us to the veteran quarterback market. And now that Deshaun Watson is off the market, the only quarterbacks that appeal to the Panthers at this point are Garoppolo and Mayfield.
Both have shown that they can win with the right pieces around them. Garoppolo led the San Francisco 49ers to the NFC Championship Game this past year before losing to the Los Angeles Rams.
And Mayfield threw 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 2020, and led the Browns to a playoff win before losing in the divisional round.
Though neither are currently viewed as long-term answers for the franchise, perhaps they can be a bridge until they do find the right quarterback.
The issue is that neither quarterback has a favorable contract at the moment — or one that the Panthers are willing to pay. The Observer reported in March that the Panthers were not interested in a trade for Mayfield at the time. His salary was too high.
Garoppolo has a $26.9 million contract number for 2022, while Mayfield has $18.9 million number. Carolina already owes Darnold $18.9 million for the 2022 season, and they don’t want to pay the same salary or more for another quarterback who isn’t considered elite.
The 49ers are also asking for two second-round picks, according to a source with knowledge of their asking price, which is more than Carolina is willing to give up.
However, if the 49ers or the Browns release them, or agree in a trade to restructure their deal and take on part of their salary, similar to how the Panthers did when they traded Teddy Bridgewater to the Broncos a year ago, then those two quarterbacks become a lot more appealing.
The Panthers agreed to pay $7 million of Bridgewater’s restructured salary last year to deal him away. The Broncos were responsible for paying only $3 million.
The good news for the Panthers is that the 49ers and the Browns haven’t found any suitors for their quarterbacks. And there’s no way either team is keeping those quarterbacks on their current salaries, especially the Browns, who have Watson.
So it is becoming increasingly likely that both teams will have to eat part of their salaries in order to get rid of them.
The only issue with that is that when the price drops, other teams will be vying for those quarterbacks as well. And if either quarterback hits the free agent market, the decision ultimately is in the quarterback’s hand if they have multiple suitors.
The Seahawks, Colts, Giants and Falcons could also be potential destinations for those quarterbacks.
Another thing the Panthers have to worry about is that both quarterbacks are coming off shoulder surgeries. Mayfield had surgery on his non-throwing shoulder in January. The timetable for his return was four to six months, the team said in press release in January. That means, he should be available as early as May and as late as July.
Garoppolo had surgery on his throwing shoulder in March, and isn’t expected to be ready for action until August, a timeline that is not ideal for a quarterback looking to get acclimated with a new team.
If the Panthers do draft a quarterback, all of this is moot.
If they don’t draft one, they’ll still need a quarterback, and they’ll be looking for the best upgrade available.
That’s why you should expect Mayfield or Garoppolo to be in play.
