Carolina Panthers flip Sam Darnold as new starting quarterback

Carolina will have a third different starting quarterback in as many weeks when they face Denver in Week 12

CHARLOTTE — At the revolving door known as the quarterback position of the Carolina Panthers, sam darnold will become the third different starter in the same number of weeks this Sunday against the denver broncos in the Bank of America Stadium.

The team made the announcement Tuesday, after interim head coach steve wilks told his quarterbacks that he would opt for Darnold instead of Baker Mayfieldwho had two passes intercepted and failed to get the Panthers (3-8) to the end zone during Sunday’s 13-3 loss against the Baltimore Ravens.

It will be the first start for Darnold in the regular season since a January 9 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to close the 2021 season.

Wilks made the decision after evaluating the performance of Mayfield against Baltimore and discover that PJ Walker he wouldn’t be ready to return Sunday from a high ankle sprain.

Mayfield began the season as the starter, after clinching the starting job during an open training camp contest against Darnold. Sunday’s was his first start since Week 5, when he sprained a high ankle during a loss to the san francisco 49ers. replaced Walkerwho went 2-3 before suffering his own sprain in a Week 10 win against the atlanta falcons.

Mayfield accumulated a Total Quarterback Rating of 20.4 against the Ravensgiving him a cumulative 17.8 among qualified players, the worst in the nfl. His 57.8 completion percentage is next to last in the league.

Darnold went with a 4-7 record as the starter last season, posting a Total QBR of 38.6 that left him ahead only of zach wilson (33.4) of the new york jets Y Justin Fields (31.4) of the chicago bears.

Mayfield was the first overall recruit of the Draft 2018 of the nflwhere Darnold he was selected third. The cleveland browns they traded to Mayfield a Carolina in July, after acquiring Deshaun Watson at the beginning of the offseason. After selecting a Wilson with the second overall turn of the Draft 2021the jets transferred to Darnold to the Panthers.

Wilks has said on several occasions that the Panthers want to take a look at Darnoldwho as Mayfieldis in the final year of his rookie contract.

The decision to go with Darnold on Mayfield it also impacts what they owe you Panthers for his trade from cleveland. Mayfield has played 58 percent of the chances so far, and would need to hit 70 percent for the browns get a 2024 fourth-round pick as payment. If he doesn’t reach that number, that pick becomes a fifth-round pick.

It is expected that Pantherswho would have the second overall selection of the Draft 2023 should the season end today, select a quarterback in the first round next year as part of what is expected to be a strong quarterback crop. They would consider a veteran as Darnold to help develop that player.

Darnold He recently said he learned a lot about being a backup while recovering from a high ankle sprain that landed him on injured reserve.

“You learn a lot just by watching,” he said. “There’s a lot to learn in terms of just walking around the complex, learning from the other guys. There’s a lot you can learn when you don’t have the stress of starting. But, at the end of the day, I want to be out there. [jugando]”.