After questions lingered about how Baker Mayfield would be received by his new teammates in Carolina, the former Browns quarterback seems to have found a key supporter in Panthers wide receiver Robbie Anderson.
Speaking to reporters Tuesday after the first of two joint practice sessions with the Patriots, Anderson expressed how impressed he was at Mayfield’s ability to adjust to a a new system so quickly, while also establishing himself as a leader among a new group of players.
“He’s smart,” Anderson said. “He’s picked up the offense, like, rapidly. I like his energy a lot. I like that a lot about him. Like his leadership. And his confidence.”
Anderson’s comments carry some weight as he previously seemed reluctant for the Panthers to trade for Mayfield in a comment on Instagram back in April. After the deal between Carolina and Cleveland went down, the veteran wide receiver made clear that he had no problem with Mayfield and was simply trying to be a “good teammate” to Sam Darnold, his quarterback at the time.
“Just trying to defend the guy who is my quarterback in a sense,” Anderson said in June.“… That’s it. … I’ve got to make him right and stand up for him.”
This week is an important one in the Panthers ongoing quarterback competition as coach Matt Rhule previously said that he didn’t envision himself naming a starter until after the team’s preseason game against the Patriots. He cited the importance of seeing the two signal-callers go up against another team in practice and how that might give the coaching staff a better idea where each player is at with the offense.
Mayfield and Darnold have split the first-team snaps throughout training camp thus far, but Mayfield earned the start in the team’s preseason opener against the Commanders. After the contest, Rhule emphasized that Mayfield starting was “just for today” and that the competition would continue.
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