It did not take long for coach Matt Rhule of the Carolina Panthers to figure out who his starting quarterback will be for the coming NFL season.

As most expected, the starting quarterback for the Panthers this 2022-23 NFL season is no other than newcomer Baker Mayfield. Ironically, the 27-year-old will make his debut as the team’s starting play-caller when they face Mayfield’s former team, the Cleveland Browns in 20 days, NBC Sports reported.

Mayfield has undoubtedly proven himself although being named starting QB does not mean he will have a lock on it for the entire season. This will depend on his performance and his ability to stay healthy.

Should the 2017 Heisman Trophy winner fare miserably, Rhule is aware that he has an able back in the person of Sam Darnold.

Regardless, the focus, for now, is to see how Mayfield will hold up the fort. And there is perhaps no better way to kick off his stint with the Panthers by showing it against his former NFL team.

While the Panthers have settled their QB issue, the Browns are hoping to survive with their backup play-callers.

Deshaun Watson will miss 11 games for the Browns, a settlement that was reached with the NFL for the 26-year-old’s legal woes off the field.

Hence, Cleveland is likely to initially go with Jacoby Brissett as starting quarterback with Joshua Dobbs and Josh Rosen waiting in the wings in the event the 29-year-old is unable to get it going for Cleveland.

Despite the pressure he is facing, Brissett remains unfazed.

"I just have to be myself," Brissett said via the Akron Beacon Journal. "I don't really kinda try and do anything more or less. More so, I just try and be myself."

It is nothing new to the third-round pick of the New England Patriots in 2016. He found himself in a similar situation at the time with Tom Brady ironically also serving a suspension at that time and Jimmy Garoppolo out with an injury.

Baker Mayfield #6 of the Carolina Panthers
Baker Mayfield #6 of the Carolina Panthers Getty Images | Scott Taetsch

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