If you don’t like Baker Mayfield and/or Jimmy Garoppolo, then it’s a great day to be a Carolina Panthers fan!
On Monday, multiple reports from Charlotte-based media essentially confirmed the Panthers’ most recent plan of attack at the quarterback position—which hasn’t been much of an attack at all. The first nugget came from Ellis L. Williams of The Charlotte Observer, who noted there’s still a gap between Carolina and the Cleveland Browns in a potential deal for Mayfield—a $4.5 million gap to be more specific.
This would indicate that the Panthers are remaining particularly cautious about such a move. One of the latest developments, which came courtesy of MMQB’s Albert Breer two weeks back, suggested that Cleveland was willing to pay around half of Mayfield’s $18.8 million salary to ship him off to Carolina.
Apparently, half is not enough for general manager Scott Fitterer and head coach Matt Rhule.
FOX Charlotte’s Will Kunkel then swooped in during the late afternoon and reported that the team, despite rumblings, is not closer to a swap for either Mayfield or San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
I'm told the Panthers are no closer to a deal with Baker Mayfield or Jimmy Garoppolo, despite reports roaming around twitter.
— Will Kunkel (@WillKunkelFOX) June 27, 2022
Sheena Quick of FOX Sports 1340 AM later confirmed Kunkel’s tweet.
Literally nothing has happened in weeks. https://t.co/w053ld8Vj6
— Sheena Quick (@Sheena_Marie3) June 27, 2022
So, whether you want Mayfield or Garoppolo (or neither), you have to commend the Panthers on one thing—they’re not succumbing to desperation. They have a price and, for better or for worse, at least they’re sticking to it.
