It appears that, in the end, it’s much ado about nothing. Probably.
Earlier this week, a report surfaced that Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield was not a participant in 7-on-7 offseason workouts because of “an apparent shoulder injury.” Specifically, an OU-specific Football Sickness website reported by was of “two independent sources,” “Mayfield’s absence from recent workouts is in fact related to a rotator cuff injury with his throwing shoulder.
A short time later, Guerin Emig of Tulsa World tweeted that a "[w]ell-connected source says Sooners QB has sore shoulder, no rotator cuff damage.” Wednesday night, the Sooners took the same social media site to further put cold water on the speculation surrounding Mayfield’s health.
There is some unfounded reporting. Baker Mayfield has shoulder fatigue.
— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) July 2, 2015
Mayfield, a transfer from Texas Tech who was forced to sit out the 2014 season, and Trevor Knight, the 2014 starter, are viewed as the front-runners to claim the starting job this season. Neither grabbed a hold of the position exiting spring, however, so the competition will extend into summer camp.
Four-star 2013 signee Cody Thomas, the No. 2 quarterback a year ago, is also at least on the periphery of the competition, and could find himself in the middle of the positional fray before all is said and done.