CHARLOTTE — Baker Mayfield has been released by the Carolina Panthers, who declared on their website: "The Baker Mayfield experiment is over."
The 2018 No. 1 draft pick by the Browns, who led the team to the playoffs in 2020, asked for his release and will be subject to waivers and become a free agent if he goes unclaimed.
The move comes after quarterback PJ Walker was moved ahead of Mayfield on the depth chart, following Mayfield's lackluster start to the season.
Mayfield sprained his ankle in early October, giving Walker an opportunity to start. With Walker playing well, it was unlikely that Mayfield would get back on the field — until Walker got injured in Week 10 against the Falcons. He started Week 11 against Baltimore, the Panthers lost 13-3, and Mayfield threw a couple of late interceptions and had just 196 passing yards.
There are several teams whose quarterbacks suffered injuries over the weekend. San Francisco’s Jimmy Garoppolo, Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence and Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson are all injured after their Week 13 matchups. Mayfield may find himself assisting one of these teams.
This officially makes the pick the Browns got for Baker a 2024 fifth-rounder since he won't meet the snap count he needed for it to become a fourth-rounder.
From June 28: ‘We’re ready to move on’ — Baker Mayfield doesn’t see a return to Cleveland happening
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