Report: Panthers still keeping eye on 2 veteran QBs

Aug 27, 2021; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule before the game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

The Carolina Panthers do not have a clear-cut starting quarterback on their roster, and apparently they remain in the market for one.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler said on “SportsCenter” Sunday that the Panthers are still looking to acquire a veteran quarterback. They drafted former Ole Miss star Matt Corral in the third round and will likely give him a chance to compete for the starting job. Sam Darold may also get another shot, but Carolina is keeping tabs on Jimmy Garoppolo and Baker Mayfield.

“They would like somebody else; that’s why the Baker Mayfield situation, Jimmy Garoppolo might not be completely dead at this point,” Fowler said, as transcribed by Tyler Conway of Bleacher Report. “And so it certainly seems [Sam Darnold] is the favorite to start. They know Matt Corral is a bit of a project, a little like Malik Willis, because of the offense he came from in Ole Miss. He’s going to need some time to learn the nuances of the NFL game, but they love the talent. So, he could at least make this interesting for sure.”

Garoppolo has not been traded yet, mostly because he underwent shoulder surgery after last season. There have been conflicting reports about how ready the San Francisco 49ers are to turn things over to Trey Lance, so it is possible they could still keep Garoppolo.

Mayfield is owed more than $18 million in 2022, which is the main reason the Cleveland Browns have been unable to move him. Teams know that they can’t keep Mayfield now that they have Deshaun Watson in the fold. It seems like the Browns will be forced to cut Mayfield at some point, and teams may be trying to force them to do so.