Carolina Panthers quarterback Baker Mayfield began his 2022 season on a mission to prove the NFL wrong. But now, it looks as though he’ll have to prove his own team wrong, too.
Mayfield, who is apparently healthy enough to play for the first time since sustaining a high-ankle sprain back in Week 5, will still not be getting the start against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. Interim head coach Steve Wilks told reporters that Mayfield ran with the second and scout teams during Wednesday’s practice and should be in uniform for Week 8.
“Yes,” he replied when asked if Mayfield would be active for the upcoming NFC South matchup. “Sam [Darnold] is still on his progression of his 21 days. And, definitely, Baker should be available on Sunday.”
Considering he was inactive in the last two outings, Mayfield will assume the backup role for the first time in Carolina—something Wilks later stated he was okay with.
“He understood exactly where we were going this week,” he said of conversation with his quarterbacks. “Knows his role and he was fine with that.”
Where they’re going this week will see PJ Walker under center once again. After a muffled performance in Los Angeles, Walker bounced back with an eye-opening Week 7 showing in the upset win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers—connecting on 16 of his 22 throws for 177 yards and two touchdowns.
Unfortunately for Mayfield, he couldn’t make the most out of his five games thus far—mustering up 962 yards, four touchdowns and four interceptions while completing what is currently a career-low 54.9 percent of his passes. So, time will tell if there’s a game No. 6 in his future.
