Panthers’ Baker Mayfield out 2-6 weeks with high ankle sprain: report

The Carolina Panthers have fired their head coach after just five games of the 2022 season, and now they’ll be without their starting quarterback for the foreseeable future. 

Baker Mayfield will miss the next two to six weeks after suffering a high ankle sprain in the Panthers’ Week 5 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, according to ESPN. 

There is no structural damage to the ankle after the Panthers ran tests, but the healing process will take two to six weeks. 

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Mayfield suffered the injury in the first half against the Niners and was seen wearing a walking boot after the game. 

Mayfield was acquired by the Panthers from the Cleveland Browns in the offseason and was named the starter over Sam Darnold. But his season with Carolina has gotten off to a terrible start, throwing four touchdowns and four interceptions with the lowest QBR of his career — 71.9 — according to NFL Network. 

Mayfield will be replaced by P.J. Walker, who is expected to start against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 6. 

In 2021, Walker appeared in five games — starting in one — throwing one touchdown and three interceptions on 66 attempts. 

The Panthers fired Rhule on Monday and named defensive pass game coordinator Steve Wilks as the interim head coach. 

“I had a conversation with coach this morning. It was short, cordial. He’s a gentleman. A true gentleman,” Panthers owner David Tepper said Monday when explaining the decision to move on from Rhule, according to WCNC Charlotte. 

“There’s numerous reasons why you make a decision like that. Ultimately, I felt this was a time. Now was a time.”

Rhule went 11-27 in his three seasons in Carolina.