Panthers Legend Steve Smith Says He Doesn't Want Carolina to Trade for Baker Mayfield

Carolina Panthers legend and NFL Network analyst Steve Smith Sr. does not want his former team to trade for Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield.

He made his feelings clear on the matter in a tweet soon after the second round of the NFL draft began Friday.

"I hear the Carolina Panthers, I'm on set, are gonna make a move for Baker Mayfield," Smith said. "My reaction if they do, "No!"

Smith emphatically screamed no, so it's obvious where he stands.

However, the Panthers are in the market for a quarterback, general manager Scott Fitterer told reporters in his predraft press conference, and Mayfield seems like an obvious match for multiple reasons.

For starters, the Panthers don't pick again until late in the fourth round (No. 137 overall), so that takes them out of the running for the top quarterbacks in this year's draft.

Second, Mayfield is one of the top two quarterbacks available on the trade market alongside the San Francisco 49ers' Jimmy Garoppolo. He's owed $18.9 million in the final year of his deal in 2022, but the Panthers wouldn't be on the hook for anything after that season.

Carolina has endured a quarterback carousel since the end of the Cam Newton era, with a host of starters taking the reins for multiple games.

The latest one to get a chance is Sam Darnold, but he struggled last year with just nine passing touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

At this point, Mayfield may be the Panthers' top potential option at quarterback. He had a down year in 2021 (17 touchdowns, 13 interceptions), but he played through numerous injuries that included a partially torn left labrum.

In sum, Mayfield could be a good fit in Carolina, which has won just five games each of the past three years. The Panthers have pieces in place (e.g., DJ Moore, Christian McCaffrey) to support Mayfield, who could enjoy a career resurgence in Charlotte.