Before the Carolina Panthers even acquired Baker Mayfield, wide receiver Robbie Anderson made a few comments on social media that made it seem like he was against the move.
When asked about his comments in early July, Anderson said he was trying to defend Sam Darnold.
“Just trying to be a good teammate to my quarterback. That’s it,” Anderson said. “Just trying to defend the guy who is my quarterback in a sense. You know what I’m saying? That’s it.”
Now that Anderson has been able to practice alongside Mayfield for nearly a month, his stance on the former No. 1 pick has improved. In fact, he recently raved about the fifth-year quarterback’s leadership skills.
“He’s smart,” Anderson told reporters, via Panthers Wire. “He’s picked up the offense, like, rapidly. I like his energy a lot. I like that a lot about him. Like his leadership. And his confidence.”
Anderson added that he’s excited about Mayfield’s willingness to throw the deep ball.
The Panthers haven’t announced a starting quarterback for Week 1, but it certainly seems like Mayfield has the early edge over Darnold.