Jake Delhomme once captured himself the starting quarterback job for the Carolina Panthers. So although we’re in a much different time and place for the organization, his two cents on this year’s competition is worth a bit.
The franchise’s second all-time leading passer and current radio color commentator was hosted by The Zach Gelb Show this week to speak on the upcoming battle between Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold. And Delhomme, even despite Mayfield being the clear frontrunner for the position, believes Darnold has an inherit advantage going in.
“I think the only thing that’s working against him [Mayfield], and it’s a big task, is—this is late,” he said. “Very late in the year. And not having any familiarity with a Ben McAdoo offense, that’s a tough task. And so, Sam Darnold has the upper hand, for the last few months being introduced to the offense.”
In addition to the less-than-optimal timing, McAdoo’s system isn’t exactly the easiest to digest. Wide receiver DJ Moore said as much last month during organized team activities, describing the system as “long” and “treacherous.”
But it’s not all foreign to Mayfield. As Delhomme went to state, the former No. 1 overall pick does have a prior connection that’ll help the learning curve.
“Now, the one thing working in Baker’s favor—James Campen, the new offensive line coach who was with him in Cleveland,” he added. “So, some of that language—offensive line language and speak—Baker probably will have some recollection of that. But that’s a difficult task—not knowing anyone, not knowing the plays. It’s one thing to know the plays. But until you start to know the players and their body language and how they move and how they come in and out of breaks and routes of things of that nature, that’s a tall task.”
Well, as of this writing, Mayfield has exactly 58 days to tackle that task with his old buddies coming to town for Week 1.
