"He’s no longer an elite athlete" - NFL analyst weighs in on his biggest onfield criticism of Baker Mayfield

Baker Mayfield is now with the Carolina Panthers after a tumultuous offseason. Earlier in the offseason, he was replaced by Deshaun Watson at the Cleveland Browns. Mayfield's trade was met with a lot of positivity, but not everyone is brimming with compliments.

NFL analyst Nick Wright discussed the former Browns quarterback on the Fox Sports 1 morning show First Things First. He thinks that Baker Mayfield isn't an elite athlete in his position. He asserted that he cannot make plays with his legs like Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray.

Here's what he said:

“My biggest on field criticism of Baker Mayfield is a simple one. He needs to recognize he’s no longer an elite athlete for his position."

He continued:

"He was fine athletically collegiately, in the pro’s, he’s slow compared to the guys chasing and he abandons the pocket early like he’s Kyler, he’s not the athlete Kyler is and tries way too often to make things happen with his legs, he can’t do that”

Baker Mayfield started 59 games for the Browns after being selected first overall in the 2018 NFL Draft. He was second in the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year voting in the 2018 season.

That season, the Heisman Trophy winner threw for 3,725 yards, 27 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. His 27 touchdowns are the most thrown by a quarterback in his rookie season in Browns history.

It's also the second-most in NFL history, trailing Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, who threw 28 touchdowns in his rookie season back in 2020.

In the 2020 season, he led the Browns into the postseason, losing against the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round of the playoffs. Last season, he started 14 games and went for 3,010 yards passing, 17 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

The quarterback missed Cleveland’s final regular-season game to have surgery on his left shoulder labrum tear injury that he suffered versus the Cardinals in Week Six.

Can Baker Mayfield win the starting job in Carolina?

Panthers QBs Mayfield and Sam Darnold. Source: Bleacher Report

Carolina gave up a conditional fifth-round pick in the 2024 draft in exchange for Baker Mayfield. There’s a very good chance we will see the 27-year-old quarterback start under center for the Panthers in Week 1. It just so happens that they host the Browns on the opening weekend.

Mayfield will compete for the starting job with Sam Darnold, who was the third overall pick by the New York Jets in that 2018 draft. Sam Darnold had a pretty rough season for Carolina in 2021, throwing nine touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He missed much of the second half of the season, leading the Panthers to re-sign Cam Newton. Newton fared no better with just four touchdowns and five interceptions.

The expectation is that Mayfield will be the starting quarterback for the Panthers for the 2022 season. Neutral NFL fans will certainly be hoping so, as that Week 1 matchup just got a lot juicier.

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If you use any of the above quotes, please credit First Things First and H/T Sportskeeda.