Baker Mayfield Injury: During the Carolina Panthers’ Week 5 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the 2022 NFL season, Baker Mayfield sustained an injury. He has a high ankle sprain, is officially diagnosed, and must miss many weeks of work while he recovers.
The good news for Baker Mayfield is that after having his injury examined by numerous medical professionals, it was discovered that there was no significant structural damage. According to reports, he won’t need surgery, preventing a potentially season-ending injury and paving the way for his comeback.
#Panthers QB Baker Mayfield received second opinions on his high ankle sprain that confirmed there’s no major damage and no surgery needed, per sources. He’s not going on IR as of now, leaving open the possibility he could be back within four games.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 11, 2022
The Panthers are unlikely to list him as injured since they think he will be back in four weeks or less. PJ Walker is anticipated to take over as the Panthers’ short-term starter at quarterback while Baker Mayfield is injured. Sam Darnold is sidelined as the primary backup quarterback to start the 2022 NFL season, giving Walker a chance to show his mettle.
Walker’s short experience as a starting quarterback has yielded mixed outcomes. He has only ever started two games in his career, winning both of them, but in all of his appearances—including as a backup—he has only ever scored two touchdowns and thrown eight interceptions.
Is Baker Mayfield At Risk of Losing His Starting Position As The Panthers’ Quarterback?
During the NFL offseason of 2022, the Carolina Panthers traded for Baker Mayfield from the Cleveland Browns. The move effectively ended Mayfield’s tenure as the franchise quarterback after the Browns traded for Deshaun Watson from the Houston Texans.
Before the 2022 NFL season, the Panthers appointed Mayfield their starting quarterback, demoting Sam Darnold to the backup position. Although Mayfield was projected to be a significant improvement for the Panthers, his performance in his first five games with the team has been dismal.
With just a 1-4 record to start the season and a completion percentage of just 55%, Mayfield has thrown four touchdowns and interceptions. He is currently expected to miss at least a month due to an ankle injury, and there is no assurance that he will be given the starting job again once he is well enough to return.
It’s feasible that PJ Walker may be designated the starter for the remainder of the season if he can win a few games while Mayfield is out. The Panthers do not have a long-term commitment to Mayfield as their starting quarterback because he is in the final year of his deal. Because he might not even be on the roster for the upcoming season, this may give the organization a far tighter leash than if he were signed to a long-term contract.
There is no assurance that Mayfield will land another job if he does become a free agent after the 2022 NFL season because he would not have successfully held his position with two NFL teams. The head coaching scenario will play a role in Baker Mayfield’s quest to recover the starting position.
After losing in Week 5, the Panthers fired Matt Rhule and selected Steve Wilkes as their interim head coach. Rhule and Wilkes may have different perspectives on the starting quarterback position, which would jeopardize Mayfield’s employment.
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