Report: 'Consensus' is that Panthers are 'most likely destination' for Baker Mayfield

An update regarding the future of disgruntled Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield from Friday said the Browns, Carolina Panthers, and Seattle Seahawks were "stuck in a holding pattern" on trade talks. Mayfield is owed $18.858M of fully guaranteed salary for 2022, and no club has yet shown much interest in adding that money to its books ahead of the Memorial Day holiday. 

For a different piece published on Friday, Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times wrote that the "Seahawks would be interested if Mayfield is released and available for the league minimum, or close to it." That makes sense, as the Seahawks currently have 2019 second-round draft pick Drew Lock and veteran Geno Smith competing for their starting job. While former player and current analyst Ross Tucker predicted earlier this week that Mayfield will end up in Seattle, Condotta linked the 27-year-old with the Panthers. 

"The consensus is that Carolina remains Mayfield’s most likely destination if he is released," Condotta wrote. "The Panthers have twice as much cap space as the Seahawks and have been aggressively pursuing quarterbacks all offseason. The guess here is that Seattle wouldn’t get involved in a bidding war for Mayfield.

But if Mayfield is there for the taking for basically nothing, then sure, I can see the Seahawks being interested."

Carolina reportedly isn't keen on riding with either veteran Sam Darnold or third-round pick Matt Corral as its QB1 this fall, and Ellis L. Williams of The Charlotte Observer suggested this week that the Panthers could add Mayfield to their roster before they open mandatory minicamp on June 14.