Baker Mayfield was taken No. 1 overall by the Browns in the 2018 NFL Draft. Sam Darnold was selected two picks later by the Jets. The similarities to their NFL careers started there, but that’s certainly not where they end.
Although their time to prove themselves as young QBs in the AFC didn’t last long, neither would be leading top NFC teams now without taking lumps in the past. After four games in the 2024 season, Darnold (118.9) and Mayfield (108.9) stand out as two of the top-four rated QBs in the NFL. Their current teams, the Vikings and Buccaneers, are a collective 7-1.
Mayfield already proved he deserved to be Tampa Bay’s new long-term starter after breaking out as Tom Brady’s successor last season. Darnold has joined the party in Minnesota by landing in the ideal spot. Coincidently, both are on their fourth NFL teams.
Here’s looking at how Mayfield and Darnold went down similar paths to save their careers after looking like potential busts.
MORE: How Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson became the best QBs from 2018 draft
2018 NFL Draft: Mayfield edges Darnold for No. 1 pick
The Browns thought a little about taking the high-floor Darnold out of USC, but they wanted a little more upside. Mayfield had more of that dynamic “it factor” without the more developmental nature of Josh Allen, who went to the Bills at No. 7 overall.
Although Allen is now being compared more to the No. 32 overall pick, two-time MVP Lamar Jackson, Mayfield vs. Darnold as the top two off the board was the early debate.
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2018 rookie seasons: Mayfield up, Darnold down
Mayfield had a great rookie season in 13 starts after taking over early for Tyrod Taylor. He lost out on Offensive Rookie of the Year honors to then Giants running back Saquon Barkley, who went between Mayfield and Darnold at No. 2 overall, but Cleveland’s new franchise QB helped the Browns improve from a winless 0-16 to 7-8-1 while throwing a then-rookie record 27 touchdown passes.
Conversely, Darnold threw a pick-six on his first career attempt for the Jets on a Week 1 Monday night game vs. the Lions. He struggled with efficiency in a limited passing offense, and the Jets slid from 5-11 to 4-12 with his initial starting stretch.
2019 season: Darnold sees ghosts, Mayfield slumps
Darnold had to have a big second season after showing plenty of shakiness right away. Unfortunately, he had to miss three games early with a bout of mononucleosis, and concerns about him went into overdrive when he admitted “seeing ghosts” in a Week 7 shutout loss to the Patriots’ defense.
The Browns slipped to 6-10 in Mayfield’s sophomore season, as he struggled to maintain his passing upside. He threw 21 interceptions to only 22 TDs, which helped drop his rating from 93.7 as a rookie to 78.8 in his encore campaign.
Because of the second-year struggles, both QBs faced a make-or-break third season.
2020 season: Mayfield makes it, Darnold is done
Mayfield went back into his rookie form under new offensive-minded coach Kevin Stefanski, becoming more efficient (95.9 rating), cutting down his interceptions (8), and pushing his TDs back up to 26. He led the team to an 11-5 record, ending an 18-year playoff drought. Mayfield also outdueled Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers to win a wild-card game before pushing Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs to the brink in the divisional round.
While Mayfield enjoyed a smash hit that made the Browns think he had finally solved their long-time franchise QB problem, Darnold failed to come through for the Jets. Beyond more poor play early, Darnold missed time, this time with a shoulder injury that he aggravated later in the season to add to his struggles. The Jets tumbled to 2-14, signaling the need for a QB change again after only three seasons.
2021 season: Darnold gets a trade, Mayfield has a fade
Darnold was finished in New York before his fourth season, but he got new life in Carolina. The Panthers also picked up his fifth-year option after acquiring him in an April pre-draft trade that included a second-rounder as part of three draft picks. Darnold looked good early in the new offense, as the Panthers opened by exacting revenge on the Jets at home before beating the Vikings and Texans for a 3-0 start.
The Panthers went on to drop four consecutive games and five of six to crash down, culminating with Darnold suffering another shoulder injury (fractured scapula) in a Week 9 game vs. the Patriots. Darnold landed on short-term injured reserve, only to learn the team was ready to play returning one-time MVP Cam Newton instead. Darnold was doomed when the team used him in mop-up duty late in the season.
Mayfield, after his fifth-year option was exercised by the Browns, came down with a concerning shoulder injury of his own (torn labrum). He made the mistake of playing through it, only leading to an aggravation, related shaky play, and eventual offseason surgery. The Browns regressed to 8-9 and out of the playoffs and now had an out to move on from Mayfield.
2022 preseason: Mayfield vs. Darnold
Mayfield’s injury-riddled season didn’t get him a break for the Browns. Once off-field issues made Deshaun Watson available in a blockbuster trade from the Texans, the team went all-in looking for a big, more established ceiling at quarterback. While Watson got a fully guaranteed $ 230 million contract from Cleveland in March, Mayfield was left lingering on the roster for a while despite wanting a trade.
The Panthers’ disappointment in Darnold prompted them to add Mayfield in July. Despite Mayfield having a compressed offseason to learn the offense, Mayfield beat out Darnold for the starting job. In a weird twist, both QBs had to miss time with high ankle sprains, Darnold from the preseason and Mayfield in Week 5. The team would then go 4-2 with Darnold, 1-5 with Mayfield, and 2-3 with P.J. Walker.
2022 season: Darnold wins out Mayfield asks out
The Panthers rallied to finish 7-10 under interim coach Steve Wilks after starting 1-4 and firing coach Matt Rhule. Wilks kept preferring Darnold and Walker to Mayfield because of the latter’s lack of winning results. That prompted Mayfield to get his desired release before season’s end on Dec. 5. Darnold took over from Walker down the stretch in Carolina but was operating as a lame-duck QB with the team headed toward a big coaching change in 2023.
Mayfield landed with the Rams to help them without a healthy Matthew Stafford for their Week 14 Thursday night game on Dec. 8, three days after Mayfield became an ex-Panther. He came off the bench to lead a comeback win vs. the Raiders in that game before starting the final four contests, playing well in Sean McVay’s offense but going 1-3.
2023 season: Mayfield to Buccaneers, Darnold to 49ers
There was some speculation the Rams would retain Mayfield as a backup to Stafford, but when Tom Brady decided to retire for good from Tampa Bay, the Bucs took a shot on him for their new offense under coordinator Dave Canales, who just helped turn around Geno Smith in Seattle. There’s no doubt the Rams stint played a part in Mayfield getting a starting gig so soon.
Meanwhile, Darnold got his McVay-like connection when landing in San Francisco as a pocket-passing backup to Brock Purdy with Jimmy Garoppolo released. Darnold was seen as a better No. 2 to the still-developmental Trey Lance, causing the latter to be traded to Dallas. Short of starting again, being deemed worthy of a Mike Shanahan offense was huge for Darnold saving his career. Darnold hinted at good things with a fine fill-in start for Purdy in Week 18.
2024 season: Mayfield or Darnold for NFL MVP?
Mayfield lost Canales to the Panthers’ head-coaching job, but he got the best possible play-calling replacement in Liam Coen, with whom he worked as a Ram. Darnold went from Shanahan to former McVay assistant Kevin O’Connell in Minnesota, getting an in with the Vikings when that team hired friend and former teammate Josh McCown as QB coach.
Mayfield and Darnold had some common bumps tied to injuries and dysfunctional teams, with their ultimate intersection happening as co-Panthers starters. Credit goes to Buccaneers and Vikings’ officials for knowing that all either QB was missing was a great organization that could provide terrific personnel and systemic support.
