The Carolina Panthers will start quarterback (QB) Baker Mayfield in their first game of the 2022 NFL season against the Cleveland Browns at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte on September 11.

Mayfield was traded by the Browns to the Panthers for a 2024 conditional draft pick in July after the Browns acquired QB Deshaun Watson who signed the biggest guaranteed contract in league history.

Mayfield was drafted by the Browns with the first overall pick in 2018 and it took him three years to help the team break their 17-year-long playoff drought in 2020. During his four seasons in the team, he passed for 1,185-1,924 for 14,125 yards and 92 touchdowns (TDs) with 56 interceptions.

Mayfield missed three regular season games last season because of injury. The Browns were 6-8 when he was playing and missed the playoffs in the end. The breakup between the two sides was not pleasant.

"Obviously, there's a lot of attachment there. I'm not going to sit here and be a robot and say it doesn't mean anything. It will," Mayfield said of playing against the Browns. "I'm not going to premeditate anything. Once I step inside the lines, I'm a competitor."

The Panthers won no more than five games in each of the past three seasons. The last time they reached the postseason was in 2018 when they lost to the New Orleans Saints in the National Football Conference Wild Card Game.

"When we started the process, we said we were looking at three things. No. 1, mastery of the offense; No. 2, situational football excellence; and No. 3, moving the ball and getting guys involved," Panthers head coach Matt Rhule said. "Baker has made a lot of improvement, a lot of growth in all three areas in a short amount of time."

Sam Darnold, starting QB of the Panthers last season, admitted "it was tough," but offered support to Mayfield. "I'm not worried about what this means for the future," he said.

"It's not a redemption year," Mayfield said of joining the Panthers. "I know what I'm capable of. I'm not trying to prove anything to anybody else. I'm just trying to lead this locker room the best I can and win a bunch of ballgames."

The Browns will miss Watson, who was suspended for 11 games by the NFL, in the season opener. 29-year-old Jacoby Brissett is likely to be their starting QB against the Panthers.