Panthers OC Ben McAdoo: Baker Mayfield can ‘command an offense’

Estimated read time 2 min read


Baker Mayfield has only been a member of the Carolina Panthers for one month and has been practicing with his new team for less time than that. The former No. 1 overall pick may have already won over Panthers offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo though.

“Baker since he’s been here in the last two weeks, it’s been pretty impressive,” McAdoo said, per ESPN’s David Newton. “One of his strengths is command. … He can lead a room, he can command a room, he can command an offense. He has a good presence about him. And, you know, he’s got a fire in his guts.”

As Newton wrote, McAdoo was notably outspoken on Mayfield’s NFL potential leading up to the 2018 NFL Draft.

“I didn’t see a lot of pro-style football in his college tape. And if you’re short, you have to be able to make up for it some way, somehow, and personality doesn’t do that,” the former New York Giants head coach said four years ago. “I didn’t think he was a great athlete. This guy is kinda like a pocket quarterback that is short and with small hands, that’s what I worry about.”

McAdoo’s praise on Tuesday comes one day after Carolina head coach Matt Rhule similarly used the word “impressive” to describe the signal-caller. In a 2018 article in the New York Times, the 45-year-old coordinator rated Mayfield sixth in the QB class behind (in order) Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen and Mason Rudolph.

While Allen and Jackson have become full-fledged stars in the league, Darnold, Rosen and Rudolph haven’t made a significant impact at the pro level yet. Darnold was selected third overall in the 2018 draft and is currently battling with Mayfield for the Panthers’ starting gig.

It was reported on Monday that QB1 status is Mayfield’s “job to lose.”

“The thing for Baker, he’s been in a lot of offensive systems going back to college and then coming through the pros,” McAdoo said. “He’s bright and he really works at it. That helps him. He’s here very early in the morning, and I’m sure he’s burning the midnight oil to get caught up.”





Source link

You May Also Like

More From Author