The Browns’ season, for all intents and purposes, is over. In the case of Baker Mayfield, it’s truly over. The quarterback will have surgery on his injured shoulder, according to head coach Kevin Stefanski, and miss the season finale against the Bengals. 
[RELATED: Updated 2022 NFL Draft Order]
Mayfield’s shoulder has plagued him throughout the year, but he’s played through the pain and missed just two games so far. Even after last night’s loss and playoff elimination, Mayfield still left the door open to finishing out the year.
“There was an opportunity to win, and I’m an extremely competitive guy,” Mayfield said (via NFL.com) “Now, it’s time for me to look at what’s in the best interest of me and my health. I haven’t been healthy and I tried to fight for my guys. Right now, I’m pretty damned beat up to be honest with you. I gave it everything I had tonight.”
Beyond next week, Mayfield’s future remains in doubt. After finishing 10th in 2020 QBR, Mayfield is near the back of the list. The Browns only have Mayfield signed through 2022, via the fully guaranteed fifth-year option ($18.9MM), leading to speculation that he could be moved in the offseason. Ultimately, it seems like the Browns are more likely to keep Mayfield, table extension talks, and treat his ’22 as a prove-it year.
Any chance they just cut him this off-season?
Nah, there’s somebody that will give a bag of practice balls to take him as a backup. Oops, Emily is gonna be pissed at both of us.
No. Even if the Browns move on, one year $18.9 is a worthwhile gamble, even if you no longer believe he has any glimmer of hope of playing like a top 15 QB. Someone will believe injuries held him back this year and someone will believe the rest of their roster is good enough to roll the dice on an iffy veteran instead of a rookie.
Browns on the hook for $18.9 if they cut him so I can’t see them doing it
Mayfield should have been held out of last night’s game considering the Browns were already eliminated. The dude should have the surgery ASAP so they he’ll be fully ready to go next season.
Baaaaaaaaaakerrrrrr
Mayfield was pretty much awful all year, why didn’t he have the surgery from the getgo when he was injured?
SMH
I still think that Baker has a future in the league. He was trying to be tough for his teammates and ultimately ended up hurting them worse by playing through injury. Can’t hate on the mental toughness but someone should’ve shut him down long ago. The offensive play calling was very flat for the Browns this season but otherwise they have the pieces in place to be a successful football team. I think the wise move would be to give Baker a shot at a healthy season and see what he can do before cutting ties with him.
Baker = Carr = Dalton = Garrapalo
They are all “ Trent Dilfer-ish” the game has changed and you won’t win another Super Bowl with that type of QB
I don’t think this is fair to Derek Carr. He’s not in the top flight of QBs, but he’s been really good on a team full of holes, distractions, and draft picks set on fire. If you swapped him in for Wentz on the Colts, for example, I think you’ve got a pretty serious Super Bowl contender.
That’s a lazy and inaccurate take, I’m sorry. It’s based on a loosely held opinion with no real argument behind it other than “these quarterbacks are not elite therefore they suck”. Any of those QBs are good enough to win a championship on a good team. Dalton maybe is not now, given his age, but on a team with a solid roster, any of them could do it. Garappolo came pretty close, on his end, in case you forget.
It’s just lazy analysis to make a blanket statement like that without backing any of it up with examples or facts. I don’t particularly like Mayfield as is, but I’m not going to close the book on him after a season where he played through multiple debilitating injuries. That was a stupid decision on his part and stupid on the part of the Browns to allow him to do so, but his play this year was much worse than it normally is. Stefanski also has called some inexplicable game plans this year as well.
Baker is back for 1 more year. I doubt the workout an extension. Browns may have to mortgage the future for Bryce Young or CJ Stroud tho. But a better QB on the rookie salary still is better than an overpaid average QB.
Not sure they’d even be able to pull off a trade to draft one of those guys unless the shine comes off them as prospects or the bottom falls out from under the Browns next year.
They don’t have the ammo yet. They need to trade back in this Year’s draft and acquire an additional 1st. If it was me, I’d tank next week and get a better draft pick.
So CJ Stroud is the Ohio State quarterback that will be good? I’d stay away from drafting a Buckeye quarterback until one actually is at least slightly below average in the NFL. I think Tomszak may be the best
He’s a borderline solid starter.
For this talented club, with all their All-Pros on both sides of the ball.It’s so obvious what’s lacking with this club.To not make the playoffs,heads should roll!Russell Wilson
Sorry I was going to say,with Wilson they are a playoff team easily& that’s exactly what Clev needs
If Baker gets let go by the Browns, he:ll be roaming the streets aimlessly. According to the commercials, he lives at the stadium and eats scraps from the concession stand.