The prevalent theme behind this year’s edition of “Panthers Confidential” was conviction.
Most, if not all, of Carolina’s braintrust was sold on offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu. So they went and got him.
And most, if not all, of Carolina’s braintrust was also sold on quarterback Matt Corral. So they went and got him, too.
The same, however, cannot be said about Cleveland Browns star backup Baker Mayfield.
A report from Browns beat writer Mary Kay Cabot on Sunday detailed the latest bits from the ongoing saga between Cleveland and their disgruntled passer. According to the article from Cleveland.com, the organization is not planning on cutting the former No. 1 overall pick if he’s not traded by the start of training camp in July
Even despite the lack of roominess with Deshaun Watson now on the roster, the Browns would apparently rather keep Mayfield and his fully-guaranteed $18.86 million around then releasing him and absorbing the entire hit. Shipping him off elsewhere and having another team take on at least a portion of that, obviously, would make more sense.
And that team could be the Panthers . . . if they like him enough.
Cabot also noted that Carolina’s decision makers are not all in on Mayfield, making a potential trade a tad more complicated.
“The problem is, there doesn’t seem to be organizational consensus in Carolina over Mayfield,” she writes. “Some are much higher on him than others, which has been an issue, a source said. If they were all on the same page and all in, they could have him on the roster in time for their mandatory minicamp June 14-16 — same as the Browns.”
(Something tells us offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo probably isn’t one of the people in the pro-Baker camp.)
Anyway, there will have to be some give and take between the Panthers and Browns if this is a deal the former eventually wants to make. But, as of now, no one seems to be giving.
