Browns QB Baker Mayfield is under club control through the 2022 season after Cleveland exercised the fifth-year option of his rookie contract earlier this year. That option is worth a fully-guaranteed $18.858MM, a healthy sum to be sure, but there are 14 quarterbacks making more than that on an annual basis.
Still, Mayfield doesn’t sound too concerned about when he will secure his place among the league’s high rollers. The No. 1 overall pick of the 2018 draft told reporters today, “I’m in no rush because I’m just trying to win games. Like I said, it’ll handle itself. I’m sure [agents] Tom and Jack Mills are handling that. I don’t try and feed too much into that because it’s like wasting my time and energy and thought process on things I’m not in control of right now. So I’m going to handle what I can control” (via Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk).
The last we heard, the Browns had not yet initiated extension talks with Mayfield’s camp. Owner Jimmy Haslam, however, made it clear that his team has every intention of keeping Mayfield in Cleveland for the long haul, which is why the Browns — a trendy Super Bowl pick — are not interested in disgruntled Packers star Aaron Rodgers.
Both sides do have reason to wait, though. After all, Mayfield was a mess in his sophomore campaign, and while he appears to have righted the ship under the steady hand of head coach Kevin Stefanski last season, the Browns might want him to prove that he can sustain his success. And Mayfield — who said today that he has no problems betting on himself — may prefer to have 2018 draftmates Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen ink their big-money extensions first.
Barring an All-Pro type season, Mayfield is unlikely to earn as much on his next contract as Jackson and Allen will on theirs, but their deals will still help push Mayfield’s price point a little higher.
That’s my quarterback!!!!
Lol. Who would want to pay the white Kirk Cousins? It’s clear they will never make a SB. They couldn’t even beat the Chiefs back up to win a game.
…do you think Kirk Cousins isn’t white?
Uh …
Stabby McShank Either this is a bad troll attempt or you’ve never seen Kirk Cousins.
Or maybe the people reading this aren’t smart enough to get the joke..? But seriously folks, let me break it down. Baker= Kirk. They both can’t win without a dominant run game. They both will never be in a SB.
What’s the joke then? Or did you Google Kirk Cousins and realize you made a mistake and couldn’t delete your comment?
You tried to be funny and failed…
Accept it, don’t double down. Also isn’t it crazy when a team actually tailors their offense to their qbs strengths, they start to win more? Cousins and Baker are excellent off Playaction. Add in a good defense and both of these guys could get to and win a Super Bowl. Worse Qbs than them have won or at least got to one
So Mayfield is represented by THE MILLS BROTHERS ??
Cleveland is in the worst situation possible – four years in and they still don’t know what they have at QB, i.e., sometimes Mayfield looks like a pro bowl QB and at other times he looks like a bust. And with his ego he will be asking for the world from a contract perspective. Would YOU pay this guy franchise money in order to avoid re-entering the QB draft lottery?
If he had this “ego” and massive desire to break the bank, wouldn’t he be hinting as much? Possibly sitting out? He literally just said he’s fine playing the next 2 years at current rates.
He also just led the browns to the playoffs and won a game over their rivals in said playoffs. This would be the first time since 1994 they won a playoff game.
But yeah…he sucks and they should get rid of him. The browns are only good because of everything except Baker Mayfield. The running game alone could win 10 games….nm the fact you sort of need a respectable qb to take away from that to make it work. He also only beat Peyton and Russell Wilson’s TD # record for a rookie QB….but he sucks….so there’s that.
Actually 3 years in but who’s counting? Mayfield has been good 2 of those years. This will be his first season running the same system as the year before.
Baker will take the Browns to multiple Super Bowl titles, starting with this year. The dynasty has begun.
You should write for vice
What would Freddie do?
Mayfield is actually a pretty entertaining pitchman (as far as athletes go) so I think the endorsement dollars will keep him comfortable until it’s time to renegotiate with the Browns.
Y can’t anyone get past that second year? They had a crazy person as a head coach and Dorsey as the GM. He’s been in the league for 3 years and has had 3 different head coaches/schemes. Yes this is a prove it 4th year. But he played really good last year for a stable coach. He will only get better in the second season with an actual head coach that isn’t a side show act. Wonder y people in Carolina r high on Darnold right now? Because he’s got a stable group of coaches not a crazy person as his coach.
But he’s still no Josh Allen. And should get paid on the second tier behind the top 8 guys.
To me Mayfield is the type of qb who keeps you from winning a SB or two. He’s good enough to be a starter but he’s not a star. Since qbs don’t grow on trees you stick with him but ultimately keep falling short