In this week’s Time Out for Sports segment, Charlotte Observer sportswriter Langston Wertz Jr. says the Carolina Panthers should bench quarterback Baker Mayfield and give Sam Darnold another chance since PJ Walker is still injured. The Panthers only had 205 yards of offense in Sunday’s 13-3 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
“Baker Mayfield is 1-5 as a starter now. They've never scored more than 25 points with him in any of those six games. I don't think he should start another game for the Panthers ever, unless it's an emergency situation or a blowout,” Wertz Jr. said.
The Panthers play the Denver Broncos on Sunday and head coach Steve Wilks will have to choose between Mayfield or Darnold as the starter, as Walker is out with a high ankle sprain. Wertz says it’s too bad that rookie quarterback Matt Corral is still out with his preseason injury — it would be a good opportunity to give him some meaningful snaps to prove whether or not he’s the Panthers’ quarterback of the future.
You can listen to the full conversation above. Here’s a quick look at what else Glenn and Wertz Jr. covered this week.
- UNC Charlotte has tapped Biff Poggi to take over as head coach for the 49ers next season. The Duke graduate and former hedge fund manager had a lot of success as a high school coach in Baltimore before he was brought on as assistant head coach at Michigan, where he’s been credited with helping turn the Wolverines around.
- The NFL Players Association released a statement connecting artificial turf with higher rates of injury among players. It’s calling on six clubs to replace turf with natural grass. Panthers owner David Tepper installed turf in 2021, and some players have blamed it for their injuries.
