The Browns have no intentions of cutting quarterback Baker Mayfield, a league source tells Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. So if clubs like the Seahawks or Panthers want to acquire the former No. 1 overall pick, they will have to trade for him.
We heard earlier this month that Mayfield suitors believe Cleveland will ultimately release the former No. 1 overall pick, and there are two reasons for that thinking: 1) the Browns and their would-be trade partners have not been able to agree on how much of Mayfield’s $18.9MM salary for 2022 the Browns will cover, and 2) the Browns would rather cut Mayfield than keep him and risk a toxic locker room culture.
It could be that Cabot’s report was based on information leaked by a Browns front office eager to swing a trade and resolve the Mayfield situation, and that a Mayfield release actually remains an option. But from a purely financial perspective, there is no real reason for Cleveland to take any action until it receives a trade offer to its liking. Even with Mayfield’s full cap charge on the books, the team has just shy of $25MM in cap space, good for second-most in the league.
And, in order to avoid a distraction, the club and Mayfield can work out an arrangement much like the one the Texans had with new Browns QB Deshaun Watson last year, whereby Mayfield either works out at the team facility — but not alongside Watson and fellow signal-caller Jacoby Brissett — or simply gets his work in away from the team. Since Mayfield will not take another snap for the Browns, as Cabot confirms in a separate piece, it really wouldn’t matter either way.
In her breakdown of the Mayfield affair, Cabot cites a recent report from Jonathan M. Alexander of the Charlotte Observer, who wrote that trade talks between the Panthers and Browns broke down during last month’s draft because Carolina wanted Cleveland to pay $13MM-$14MM of Mayfield’s salary, something that Cleveland wasn’t willing to do (we had previously written that the salary divide was the reason that the discussions stalled, but we did not have the specific numbers). But the Panthers actually have more cap space than the Browns, and perhaps an even bigger issue than the financial consideration is the fact that Carolina simply does not have an organizational consensus on Mayfield at the moment.
If, as the summer unfolds, it becomes clear that Mayfield would be an upgrade over Panthers QBs Sam Darnold and third-round rookie Matt Corral, Carolina could revisit trade discussions, though that is far from a sure thing. And the Seahawks, the other team that has been most connected to Mayfield, recently bid adieu to one of Mayfield’s biggest supporters, Alonzo Highsmith, the former Browns exec who had been working as an advisor to Seattle GM John Schenider and who just accepted a job as General Manager of Football Operations for the University of Miami.
Cabot says, and Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times confirms (via Twitter), that the Seahawks would be interested in Mayfield if he is cut, but it does not sound like Schneider will be engaging in trade discussions at this point. And if Carolina and Seattle are both out of the trade picture, then Browns GM Andrew Berry will just have to wait until another club faces an injury or underperformance, even if that wait takes him to the trade deadline.
Apparently, that suits Berry just fine.
“It could be that Cabot’s report was based on information leaked by a Browns’ front office eager to swing a trade and resolve the Mayfield situation, and that a Mayfield release actually remains an option.”
Could be in that it surely is.
Apparently you don’t know Mary Kay Cabot. She’s not going to get played.
You do know that even a Brownsbacker doesn’t have to a Brownsgroveler or a Brownscultist, right?
That it’s OK to say, “hey, I’m glad they got that rapist, so it’s OK if they break a few eggs making that omelette.”
That you don’t have to pretend they are winning some epic 3-D chess match with Baker when everyone can see they painted themselves into a corner.
Super funny cuz they just traded for an actual rapist
Get used to being last in the division for a long time
I’m a niners fan bro we’ve danced this dance and ya lol you’re probably right trey lance is gonna suck
I was responding to the other guy. And yeah, Lance will not be good
If you are the Seahawks or Panthers what would you realistically give up for one year of Mayfield?
I would give them a conditional 7th round pick with conditions that would never be met if and only if they paid all but $1 million.
The Browns save a few thousand dollars vs paying the whole thing, a bunch of headaches and whatever face they have left to salvage.
That is the only deal that will be on the table for him…and that is not even certain. And if he is only under contract to the Panthers or Seahawks for one year…why bother?
They not going to release him. If they were, why wouldn’t you have taken the Panthers offer? They have plenty of cap room and Mayfield doesn’t even have to be in the locker room. Now they may take the Panthers original offer if it’s still available.
I like that you are like “they are NOT going to do something stupid like trade him and retain a bunch of salary just to get rid of a headache and a distraction” and instead are like “they are going to pay him his full salary and waste a roster spot to have him sit at home on his couch” as if that isn’t even stupider.
A roster spot? This isn’t MLB. They will make him inactive. Why release him and pay all but 1.1 million of his salary? They have the cap room to carry him.
Brownsbacker9 Could be a game of ‘who blinks first’. Are the Panthers and Seahawks serious about going into the season with their current QB rooms, or are they trying to wait Cleveland out to get a deal on their terms?
If they believe Carolina still wants an upgrade and won’t really start Darnold/Corral, they have some leverage and can wait Carolina out to get the best possible deal. Browns don’t have to move him right now.
Exactly. They’re going to have to pay practically his whole salary
Why have him playing for another team
He’s a decent QB, but not a franchise QB.
…which would make him and upgrade for both Seattle and Carolina, as well as a few other teams. Baker is certainly good enough to earn a trial run as somebody’s starter this year. If he does well, that team can choose to sign him to an extension, they have a solid starter in place for the immediate future, and it’s a win-win. If Baker flops, then he has a shot at free agency and the team that he flips for won’t have likely spent much draft capital to get him. The trade needs to happen. It helps absolutely no one to keep him on the Browns bench.
I see your position. But if you’re trying to get a top pick next year stick with bad QB’s; not one that put you in the 17-20 range.
If he puts you in the 17-20 range, he’s basically providing the same value as Tannehill. In that case, extend him and let him game manage while building a stout defense. That can take you to the playoffs. He was in the AFC championship game just a season ago.
Nice try Cleveland. I’d love to see the locker room with Mayfield in it. That would be real comfortable for all involved
He won’t be in the locker room.
Where will he be then if he is on the team? His own locker room? The owners box? Snack shack?
The article Cabot wrote said they do what the Texans did with Watson last year. Inactive and worked out on his own
The last time a heard a team had “no intention” of doing something was a week before the unintended trade of RW to the Broncos. Mayfield will be a “problem” for the team if he is on the roster. I would make sure they cut me if I were him. I would not sit in a dark film room with Watson either! Seahawks and Panthers are content either way. They can sign Baker next ear if they want, and the Browns can roster 5QBs?
This would make a good poll question, i.e., will Cleveland trade Baker or will they release him.
sure that will work out well
Watson gets suspended for an extremely lengthy period, Cleveland quickly realizes Brissett is just what he is, average at best. Barker starts goes on a run as he did before his injury Cleveland makes the playoffs and ultimately looks foolish for all of this..
Or not
Browns won’t make the playoffs
Browns look foolish either way.
The way the Browns have treated Mayfield is so unprofessional. You don’t want the guy fine, but to derail his career like they have is terrible.
Derail his career? They want to trade him but nobody is willing yet. It takes two. The team has to do what is best for the team, not one individual. I like Baker. I always have and I want him to have success where he goes. The Browns wanted to upgrade the quarterback position and did it with Watson.
You’re looking at this wrong. Mayfield derailed his career on his own. The Browns drafted him, hoping he was the answer. Instead he took a good team down.
He actually took a 1-31 team to a 31-33-1 record the next 4 years. He just was inconsistent but his injuries had something to do with it last year.
The Browns have finished last in their division 13x since 2003 and they’re suddenly worried about a toxic locker room? Hilarious!
Previous coaching staff and front office. The Bengals stunk until they made the Super Bowl. What happened in 2012 doesn’t mean anything
Such a bad mistake not getting this thing finished. But they can leverage him after he plays his must win season. He has to do. Or he ded.
Mary Kay Cabot writes whatever the Browns tell her to write…
Hardly. She’s been doing it for too long to need to kiss ass
Wow, what a friggin mess this has become
With a possible suspension coming for Watson, why would you even entertain the notion of releasing Mayfield? You are gonna take the same cap hit with or without him so you might as well play him early, hopefully he succeeds and then it might be easier to trade him.
I think that makes sense and Baker should play if Watson is suspended, but they make a deal with Baker allowing him to stay home regardless. I think there’s a better chance of Baker going to Seattle mid-season than to Carolina. This may be the year Sam Darnold finally improves with Ekwonu blocking and a full year of a healthy McCaffrey. I’m a Jets’ fan and I felt that way before they decided to go with Zach Wilson. I preferred they traded that pick and get protection and/or a weapon for Sam instead of picking any QB not named Trevor Lawrence. That said I think the Jets are finally giving their young QB the protection and weapons he needs. The Panthers made a move in a similar direction.
I still think Carolina has their eye on Jimmy G and are just waiting for the shoulder to get the green light from the doctor. If Mayfield was what they wanted, why haven’t they made that deal? What’s the hold up?