The Panthers are one of the few teams to host a quarterback competition during training camp as the pre-2018 draft saw Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold busy work, vying for the top job. However, coach Matt Roulette is in no hurry to be named the Week 1 starter.
talking to journalists after the saturday Roulette explained that he would never rush to make a “big decision” in any situation. He shared that he doesn’t envision naming a starting quarterback until after the Panthers’ second preseason game against the Patriots on August 19.
“I’m not going to put a timetable on the quarterback position until we’re back from Patriots week,” Roulette said. “Patriots Week is a true litmus test for us. We’re going against the other team, we’re practicing… I think it will really show us where the guys are.”
Roulette said he saw positives from both Mayfield and Darnold during Saturday’s scrimmage. Although he noted that he was disappointed that each quarterback had an interception, Carolina’s coach neglected to give any further breakdowns on any player’s performance, explaining that he and the staff “need to really dig into the tapes and find out.” It needs to be seen who is really mastering the crime and who is not.”
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Mayfield and Darnold have split first-team snaps throughout training camp, as both try to adapt to the offense of new Panthers offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo. He did the same again during Saturday’s two-hour practice, taking equal number of reps for the first and second teams.
According to ESPN’s David Newton, Mayfield ended the workout for 14-for-21 with a touchdown pass and an interception. Darnold went 20-for-28 with a touchdown and an interception.
Roulette will get its first chance to see its two quarterbacks on the field in a game in just over a week when the Panthers play their first preseason game on Saturday, August 13 against the Commanders.
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