Carolina Panthers Waive Struggling QB Baker Mayfield

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Carolina Panthers waived quarterback Baker Mayfield on Monday.

Carolina (4-8) is still in contention in the weak NFC South and will go the rest of the season with Sam Darnold and PJ Walker at quarterback, with Darnold starting Sunday's road game against the Seattle Seahawks.

The decision to move on from Mayfield was a mutual agreement between the two sides after Mayfield asked for his release, a league source told ESPN.

Get our free mobile app

Among the teams possibly looking to add a veteran quarterback are the San Francisco 49ers, who lost starter Jimmy Garoppolo for the season Sunday to a broken ankle. Rookie Brock Purdy finished the 49ers' 33-17 victory over the Miami Dolphins.

The Panthers acquired Mayfield in a trade with the Cleveland Browns in July, agreeing to send a conditional 2024 fifth-round draft pick to Cleveland that could have become a fourth had Mayfield, the first pick of the 2018 draft, played 70% of the snaps. That did not happen.

Mayfield ranks last in the NFL in Total QBR among qualified quarterbacks with a rating of 18.2. The next closest is Houston Texans quarterback Davis Mills at 29.2.