NFL analyst claims Panthers' offensive coordinator maybe biased against Baker Mayfield heading into QB competition

Baker Mayfield finally got the trade he desired when the Cleveland Browns sent him to the Carolina Panthers for a conditional 2023 fifth-round draft pick.

The Panthers made it clear that Mayfield would not automatically be named the team’s starter. With Sam Darnold on the roster as well, a quarterback competition is imminent.

However, heading into the new season, Mayfield may already be at a disadvantage. According to NFL analyst Bucky Brooks on Speak for Yourself, offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo may be biased against Mayfield, having had a poor opinion of him ahead of the 2018 draft.

"It really depends on who started the decision making. Is this a management decision, or just a coaching decision? Because looking at what Ben McAdoo said in 2018, he said about Baker Mayfield, 'I didn't see a lot of pro style football in this college tape.

"'And if you're short, you have to be able to make up for it some way somehow, personality doesn't do that. I didn't think he was a great athlete. This is a kind of like a pocket quarterback that is shortened with small hands. That's what I worry about'."

Brooks continued:

"So even though we're coaches, and we want to be fair, when it comes to these evaluations, I do wonder - can Baker overcome that first impression that he made on the offensive coordinator. So when Coach talks about management versus coaching, I wonder how that is baked into the evaluation cake."

Baker Mayfield may not have the size and height that Darnold boasts, but he does make better decisions

Although Darnold has a size advantage over Mayfield, he has a tendency to make poor decisions which usually leads to turnovers.

Mayfield has featured in 60 games where he has recorded 14,125 yards, 92 touchdowns, and 56 interceptions. Darnold, on the other hand, has played 50 games for 10,624 yards, 54 touchdowns, against 52 interceptions.

Mayfield stands 6 feet 1 inch tall and is known for his accuracy. Darnold is two inches taller and has a strong arm. However, the latter hasn't been very impressive and seems to commit too many mistakes.

Mayfield had a down year in 2021 after playing through an injury for much of the season. He will now hope to prove himself with a new team and earn the starting job for good. Interestingly, Carolina will face the Browns in Week 1.

If you use any of the above quotes, please credit Speak for Yourself and H/T Sportskeeda