After Wednesday’s blockbuster deal sent Baker Mayfield to the Carolina Panthers, there is a new quarterback controversy brewing in the south.
Will Mayfield be the starting quarterback come Week 1, or will Sam Darnold be the guy?
On this week’s “Under Duress,” Chris Broussard gives insight on that situation and a handful of others on “First Things First.”
Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield are ‘Under Duress’
The Carolina Panther acquired Baker Mayfield from the Cleveland Browns, but will Mayfield beat out Sam Darnold for the starting job? Chris Broussard also breaks down why New York Yankees GM Hal Steinbrenner and Brooklyn Nets’ Sean Marks are “Under Duress” this week.
5. New York Yankees GM New Hal Steinbrenner
The outlook: Steinbrenner is in a situation after lowballing Aaron Judge this past offseason, only offering him a seven-year, $213 million deal. At the time, his decision made some sense, as Judge had dealt with injuries. But now Aaron Judge is playing at a historic level.
Broussard’s thoughts: “Judge, after betting on himself, is playing terrifically. He has 30 home runs right now, and he’s on pace to become the first guy in 61 years to hit 60 or more home runs without the stain of PED use or steroids. Hal Steinbrenner has to pay this guy. Make him the highest-paid player in the league. Because the San Francisco Giants will have a boatload of money to spend, the New York Mets are just waiting to throw some money at somebody, and I even think the Boston Red Sox would love to take the potential face of the league from the Bronx.”
4. Orlando Magic rookie Paolo Banchero
The outlook: With Banchero as the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft, there’s already a lot of pressure to be a franchise-changing player. Well, that was before the No. 2 pick, Chet Holmgren showed a ton of promise in his first Summer League game. Now Banchero is in a position to look as good or better in the Las Vegas Summer League.
Broussard’s thoughts: “He’s making his debut tonight in the Las Vegas Summer League, not only in the shadow of Holmgren going 23/7/6 (blocks), but he’s also facing Jabari Smith Jr. for the Rockets that most people thought would be the No. 1 pick.”
3. Brooklyn Nets GM Sean Marks
The outlook: Many observers believe that Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant could be handling the Brooklyn Nets situation better than they are. You can say the same about the Nets and the way they’re maneuvering through this situation, and that all falls on General Manager Sean Marks’ shoulders.
Broussard’s thoughts: “What Marks does with this situation could determine his front office future going forward with the Nets or with some other team. Will he stand his ground and get a great trade for KD? And will he stand his ground with Kyrie and not get Westbrook back in return?”
2. Carolina Panthers QB Sam Darnold
The outlook: With former Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield hitting the scene in Charlotte, Darnold’s future as the starting quarterback for the Panthers is in jeopardy. His career as a starting quarterback in the NFL could be in jeopardy.
Broussard’s thoughts: “If he loses his starting job to Baker Mayfield, this is probably the end of his career as a consistent starter. He needs to go out there and keep his job. If he doesn’t, he’ll likely be a journeyman, likely for the rest of his career as a backup, while joining that list of disappointing quarterbacks from Southern California.”
1. Carolina Panthers QB Baker Mayfield
The outlook: On the other side of the spectrum for the Panthers is Mayfield. If he is unable to unseat Darnold, he runs the chance of being a backup quarterback for the majority of the remainder of his career.
Broussard’s thoughts: “If Baker can’t beat out Darnold, then he probably goes on to be a backup. And the difference is, that Darnold is likable in the locker room and the organization. Mayfield hasn’t been. We didn’t see many Browns at all step up for him when he was going through all this mess. Does he even have the intangibles where people would even want him as a backup? He could be in trouble if he doesn’t beat out Sam Darnold.”
Get more from National Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more.