Should Panthers put more pressure on Baker Mayfield?

The Carolina Panthers are in the midst of a quarterback battle. All signs, though, point to Baker Mayfield being their starter, not Sam Darnold. 

Mayfield took reps with the top offensive unit in the Panthers’ preseason opener against the Washington Commanders. He has also taken the majority of the snaps with the offensive starters during training camp practices so far. 

Emmanuel Acho isn’t sure the Panthers are taking the right approach, and he compared Mayfield to a certain superhero in explaining why. 

“Baker Mayfield’s like the Incredible Hulk,” Acho said on Tuesday’s “Speak For Yourself.” “When the Incredible Hulk’s stressed, he activates a superpower. In the same breath, when Baker Mayfield’s challenged, it activates his superpower.”

Acho cited practically every season of Mayfield’s career dating back to when he was a freshman in college and won the starting quarterback job at Texas Tech as a walk-on. Acho used Mayfield’s time at Oklahoma, where he had to win the starting job as a walk-on before winning the Heisman as more proof.

In the NFL, Acho pointed to Mayfield’s rookie and third seasons with the Cleveland Browns as even more poof that he thrives when challenged. Mayfield had to beat out Tyrod Taylor to earn the starting job as a rookie, and in his third season, he had to prove himself after a disappointing second year. 

Acho believes that Mayfield wasn’t challenged enough in his second and fourth seasons with the Browns, which both ended in losing seasons. Acho thinks that Carolina may be making the same mistake. 

“Now, enter the Carolina Panthers,” Acho said. “Please challenge Baker Mayfield so we can see the Incredible Hulk. They don’t. They hand him the job, seemingly.”

Joy Taylor took a different approach. She didn’t argue if the Panthers are taking the right or wrong approach. Rather, she believes that Mayfield needs to change his approach.

“I really can’t get into somebody that I have to play mind games with to do their job,” Taylor said. “You know what your motivation is? It’s that check you get every two weeks. Nobody needs to tell me to go work at my job because I get paid to do my job, so therefore, I’m going to do my job. That’s how I’m wired. And that’s how I want my quarterback to be wired.”

The upcoming season is an important one for Mayfield. He’s in the final season of his rookie deal and was traded for just a fifth-round conditional pick in July, suggesting that he might need to prove he’s starter material this season. 

Taylor wants Mayfield to drop his “underdog” mindset because he already has to prove enough as it is.

“The challenge is you’re an NFL quarterback,” Taylor said. “That is an extremely competitive position. There are not a lot of those jobs in the world. That should be your motivation already. 

“I hear you, but you are a No. 1 overall pick. You were the Heisman Trophy winner. You’re not an underdog anymore, my guy! You have arrived. You have 47 Progressive commercials, we get it. So, the whole underdog thing to me gets tired.” 

The Panthers face the New England Patriots in their second preseason game on Friday, and Carolina coach Matt Rhule implied that he’ll make a decision on who’ll be the starter after that.