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Baker Mayfield

Panthers HC, GM Wanted Baker Mayfield At Team’s Minicamp

July 8th, 2022 at 1:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Browns and Panthers engaged in trade talks for Baker Mayfield for nearly three months, and although the expected result finally emerged this week, Matt Rhule and Carolina GM Scott Fitterer wanted it to happen sooner.

Prior to Mayfield accepting a $3.5MM pay cut, with the possibility of recouping that money through incentives, the Panthers wanted the fifth-year quarterback to reduce his fully guaranteed salary by $7MM, Joe Person and Zac Jackson of The Athletic report (subscription required). Although this component of the trade caused a delay, both Rhule and Fitterer wanted this trade to be completed before the Panthers reported for minicamp.

Mayfield arriving ahead of Carolina’s minicamp would have given him more time to begin learning new OC Ben McAdoo‘s playbook, and the four-year Browns starter being at Panther minicamp obviously would have begun his competition with Sam Darnold earlier. Panthers owner David Tepper, however, was determined not to overpay for a “depressed asset,” with Person and Jackson adding the fifth-year Panthers owner being “dug in” led to Mayfield remaining with the Browns during minicamp time.

Mayfield recently expressed frustration the Browns did not trade him ahead of minicamp, but it is now known he was aware of the situation involving the Panthers when making those comments. The Browns are covering $10.5MM of his salary; the former Heisman winner is on the Panthers’ payroll at $4.86MM. While it should be expected Mayfield prevails in his upcoming competition with Darnold, the latter has a several-month head start in McAdoo’s offense — including on-field work at OTAs and minicamp. Mayfield has shown far more than Darnold on the field, and while that might win out, the timing of this trade did not do the newcomer any favors.

Carolina’s hopes at a $7MM pay cut became a non-starter for Mayfield, but Person and Jackson note the quarterback’s agent and Panthers VP of football administration Samir Suleiman worked out the $3.5MM incentive package. That made the 27-year-old passer more amenable to reducing the fully guaranteed $18.9MM salary.

The Browns initially sought a Day 2 pick for Mayfield — an asking price similar to the 49ers’ early Jimmy Garoppolo goal — and did hold talks with other teams about the quarterback, but the Panthers were the only serious suitor. The Colts, whom Mayfield eyed after the Browns entered the Deshaun Watson sweepstakes, quickly landed Matt Ryan. The Seahawks did not make a “real trade inquiry,” per The Athletic.

Baker Mayfield Fallout: Panthers, Browns, Garoppolo, Darnold, Draft, Salary, Seahawks

July 6th, 2022 at 11:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

Wednesday’s Baker Mayfield trade came after months of negotiating. It appears the mid-June ramp-up in Browns-Panthers talks led to an agreement fairly soon after, but the ball fell into the quarterback’s court. Mayfield agreeing to trim $3.5MM from his salary satisfied the Panthers.

The teams had this deal in place for nearly a month, according to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones and former Browns GM Michael Lombardi (Twitter links). In pitching the slight pay cut to Mayfield, the Panthers pointed to the potential for the former No. 1 overall pick making up the difference by boosting his value for the 2023 free agent market, Jones adds. Mayfield, who was attached to an $18.9MM salary, can also earn back the money through 2022 incentives. Mayfield follows Odell Beckham Jr. in sacrificing some money to facilitate a Browns exit.

The interest in this interconference trade notwithstanding, David Newton of ESPN.com adds the deal will still precede a Mayfield-Darnold competition. Mayfield will be favored to win a training camp contest against incumbent Sam Darnold, who was chosen two picks after him in the 2018 draft. As for the conditional draft choice the Browns will receive, Mayfield’s former team will need to root for him to beat out Darnold. The pick will upgrade to a 2024 fourth-rounder if Mayfield plays at least 70% of the Panthers’ snaps, Joe Person of The Athletic tweets. Otherwise, it will become a fifth.

This battle’s winner will take the reins of a Panthers team that could feature a much better offensive line — one that added left tackle Ikem Ekwonu, center Bradley Bozeman and guard Austin Corbett, whom the Browns chose one round after Mayfield in 2018 — compared to its 2021 version and a receiving corps of D.J. Moore, Robbie Anderson and 2021 second-round pick Terrace Marshall Jr. The prospect of a healthy Christian McCaffrey has taunted the Panthers and their fanbase for two years now, but the former All-Pro running back is returning to his spot as well. Mayfield appears to be planning to gather Panthers skill players for a pre-camp workout, Newton tweets.

At the draft, the Browns were not prepared to pay much more than $3MM of Mayfield’s salary. They ended up moving to $10.5MM. The Panthers did not want to cough up more than $5MM for Mayfield, SI.com’s Albert Breer tweets, leading to the pay-cut request. But the Panthers managed to add a former No. 1 pick, resisting the temptation to reach for one of this year’s QB prospects with the No. 6 choice — which became Ekwonu.

While Mayfield’s pay cut and the Panthers agreeing to cover part of the cost saves the Browns upwards of $8MM in cap space, this still could mark a massive descent for Cleveland’s quarterback position — for 2022 at least. The Browns have gone from a 2022 reality of deploying a healthier Mayfield to trotting out Deshaun Watson — after a short suspension — to facing the prospect of Jacoby Brissett being needed for a full season of QB1 work. The Browns did not foresee a season-long Watson suspension — which has become the NFL’s preferred ban — when they traded for him, and neither they nor Mayfield appeared to make inroads toward repairing the relationship.

As previously noted, a Jimmy Garoppolo trade was not in play for the Panthers. They had expressed reservations about the 49ers QB’s injuries and, based on the extensive haggling over Mayfield’s contract, were not taking on Garoppolo’s $24.2MM salary. Carolina viewed Mayfield as a higher-floor option than Garoppolo, per Charles Robinson of Yahoo.com (on Twitter). Wednesday’s transaction cost Garoppolo, who has dealt with more injuries than Mayfield over the past four seasons, a prime landing spot. The 49ers may now need to wait on a training camp injury to unload Garoppolo in a trade. Certain NFL evaluators have expected San Francisco to simply release Garoppolo, whose base salary becomes guaranteed in Week 1.

Seattle would make sense as a Garoppolo destination, but chatter out of the Pacific Northwest continues to center around the ongoing Drew Lock–Geno Smith competition. The Seahawks had “lukewarm interest” in acquiring Mayfield, Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times notes. Although the Browns going from Mayfield to Brissett represents a downgrade, the Seahawks moving from Russell Wilson to either Lock or Smith would surpass that. The Broncos giving up their 2023 first- and second-round picks gives the Seahawks options next year — what is expected to be a better quarterback draft — but the team appears on the doorstep of giving Wilson’s old job to a highly scrutinized passer.

Panthers QB Transactions Since 2020

July 6th, 2022 at 10:11pm CST by Ben Levine

It’s been two years since the Panthers moved on from Cam Newton, and the organization’s QB room has seen plenty of change in that short amount of time. Besides the financial commitments to free agent additions like Teddy Bridgewater and Newton (for a second stint), the Panthers have also invested plenty of draft capital into the position. Over the past 15 months, the organization has effectively used a second-round pick, third-round pick, fourth-round pick, fifth-round pick, and sixth-round pick to construct their current depth chart of Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, and Matt Corral.

Of course, the Panthers have rostered plenty of additional signal-callers since settling on their current trio. Over the past two years, the Panthers have started four different QBs, and 13 different quarterbacks have made their way through the organization (either via the active roster or practice squad). These 13 different QBs have accounted for 18 different transactions over the past 28 months.

We went back to the 2020 offseason and listed all of the Panthers QB transactions below:

March 10, 2020

Allen inked a one-year pact with the Panthers to avoid ERFA.

March 17, 2020

March 23, 2020

March 24, 2020

April 5, 2021

  • Acquired Sam Darnold from Jets for 2022 second-round pick, 2022 fourth-round pick, 2021 sixth-round pick

April 28, 2021

April 30, 2021

August 31, 2021

Grier was a 2019 third-round pick by the Panthers.

September 2, 2021

November 2, 2021

November 9, 2021

Barkley was signed off the Titans practice squad.

November 11, 2021

December 28, 2021

December 31, 2021

April 29, 2022

May 1, 2022

July 6, 2022

 

Panthers Don’t Intend To Move QB Sam Darnold

July 6th, 2022 at 6:47pm CST by Ben Levine

The Panthers acquired Baker Mayfield earlier today, but that doesn’t mean the organization will be bailing on their other high-priced quarterback. ESPN’s David Newton tweets that the Panthers have no intention of moving Sam Darnold.

[RELATED: Panthers To Acquire QB Baker Mayfield From Browns]

From a financial standpoint, this news isn’t a huge surprise. After the Panthers acquired Darnold from the Jets last offseason, they committed to the QB’s fifth-year option, locking the player in to a fully guaranteed $18.85MM salary for the 2022 campaign. Considering the difficulties the Browns had finding a taker for Mayfield and his hefty fifth-year option, there’s little chance the Panthers would find a suitor who was willing to eat much (if any) of Darnold’s deal. In other words, it makes more sense for the Panthers to temporarily tolerate the cap hit vs. pawning him off (or paying to get off the contract).

Second, while teams would surely have interest in Darnold on their own terms, his salary and his ugly 2021 campaign likely means teams aren’t lining up for his services The QB seemed to take a step with the Jets in 2019 before taking a step back in 2020, and Darnold seemed to plateau on that underwhelming production in 2021. He finished the campaign having completed 59.9 percent of his passes for 2,527 yards, nine touchdowns, and 13 interceptions while guiding the Panthers to a 4-7 record in 11 starts.

Finally, the Panthers won’t trade Darnold because they sincerely intend on having a quarterback competition. We heard earlier today that the 2018 draftees would likely go head-to-head for the starting gig, allowing the team to also use 2022 as a developmental year for third-round rookie Matt Corral. Indeed, Newton passes along that the Panthers “haven’t counted Darnold out,” and the organization won’t automatically hand the keys to their offense to Mayfield. In fact, the organization is optimistic that the Mayfield acquisition could even light a fire under Darnold.

Ultimately, while the Panthers may be saying they have no intention of moving Darnold, it’s probably more accurate to say that they don’t have the ability to move Darnold considering the lack of suitors. So, for at least the time being, the organization is saying the right things and pointing toward a QB compeition.

Panthers To Acquire QB Baker Mayfield From Browns

July 6th, 2022 at 12:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Browns and Panthers have finally reached a compromise, and it will end Baker Mayfield‘s Cleveland tenure. The Panthers are acquiring the former No. 1 overall pick, Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL.com report (via Twitter). Carolina has since announced the move.

Carolina will send a 2024 conditional fifth-round pick to Cleveland in exchange for Mayfield, though Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com notes the pick is a conditional fourth. Clearing up this matter, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones tweets the pick could land in Round 4 or Round 5. Mayfield’s playing time will determine the pick, per InsidetheBirds.com’s Adam Caplan (on Twitter). This still marks a light return for a quarterback of Mayfield’s caliber, but his contract — along with leaguewide supply-and-demand issues at QB — had long been a sticking point for teams.

The sides reached an agreement to split Mayfield’s salary, the primary sticking point in their months-long talks. The Browns have agreed to pay $10.5MM of Mayfield’s $18.9MM fifth-year option salary, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. To facilitate a Cleveland exit, Mayfield has agreed to trim $3.5MM off his 2022 salary, Garafolo adds. Mayfield agreeing to a reduction moved these long-running negotiations past the goal line, Yahoo.com’s Charles Robinson tweets.

Carolina will be responsible for just $5MM of its new quarterback’s salary. Mayfield can earn back the $3.5MM of his fifth-year option money through incentives, Garafolo adds (on Twitter). The Browns, who entered Wednesday in first place by a mile for cap space, will still gain $8MM in additional room from this transaction. This move pushes Cleveland’s available funds close to $50MM.

With the Panthers and Browns facing off in Charlotte in Week 1, this already-lengthy storyline likely will not cease for a while. But this provides a resolution for Mayfield, who had requested a trade as the Browns entered the Deshaun Watson sweepstakes. The Browns moved to acquire Watson, who changed his mind on Cleveland after the team proposed a fully guaranteed $230MM deal. That transaction has become one of the most controversial moves in NFL history, with Watson facing potentially a season-long suspension.

Mayfield, 27, has hovered in the background during that saga, with the Browns excusing him from minicamp. If he prevails against Darnold during the Panthers’ training camp, Carolina will deploy Mayfield against a likely Jacoby Brissett-quarterbacked Cleveland squad in Week 1. If Mayfield wins the job, he will be the Panthers’ fourth Week 1 quarterback in four seasons. Matt Rhule has acquired a starter-caliber QB in each of his three seasons at the helm, signing Teddy Bridgewater to replace Cam Newton and trading for Sam Darnold to succeed Bridgewater. Darnold, 25, is now in danger of being replaced, as Rhule navigates a hot seat.

Mayfield now has a few weeks to prepare for training camp with Carolina. His path to Charlotte encountered a hurdle during the draft, when the Browns were willing to pay barely $3MM of his salary. This led to talks breaking down and the Panthers trading into Round 3 to draft Matt Corral. The team circling back to Mayfield puts Corral on a developmental path, as the Browns hold a competition between 2018’s first two QBs drafted.

Despite Mayfield leading the Browns to their first playoff berth since 2002, he played through a major shoulder injury last season and saw his value crater. After a 10th-place QBR finish in 2020 — a 26-touchdown pass, 10-interception slate — Mayfield ranked 27th last season. Darnold has finished 25th or lower in QBR in each of his four seasons. Mayfield underwent left shoulder surgery in January but is expected to be a full training camp participant.

The 2017 Heisman winner enjoyed a rocky run in Cleveland, playing well in two of his four Browns seasons. A 2019 step back from a promising rookie season preceded Mayfield faring well in Kevin Stefanski‘s offense, but he now faces another prove-it season — one that will go a long way to determining his future earning potential. Mayfield and the Browns tabled extension talks last year. That development proved costly for the ex-Oklahoma superstar, though he can potentially earn an extension from the Panthers or a free agency payday in 2023 — if this season goes well.

Being the only known team enter serious negotiations for Mayfield, the Panthers had been the favorites to acquire him. While Mayfield said during a podcast appearance the Seahawks might be his most likely landing spot, Seattle was not believed to be interested in him via trade — only as a free agent signing. The Panthers ensured that could not take place. Carolina was similarly interested in Jimmy Garoppolo only as a potential free agent. Wednesday’s trade narrows the four-plus-year 49ers starter’s options as well.

Obtained for three draft picks — including a 2022 second-rounder — last year, Darnold struggled for much of his Panthers debut. The former No. 3 overall pick ranked 29th in QBR and missed time with an injury, continuing a trend on that front as well. Mayfield represents the USC product’s biggest threat to a starting role, with Darnold having smooth tracks toward QB1 gigs with the Jets and Panthers through four seasons. The upcoming battle may determine whether Darnold will be able to continue his run as an NFL starter or be resigned to backup roles in the years to come.

Latest On Seahawks, Baker Mayfield

July 5th, 2022 at 11:03pm CST by Adam La Rose

A very short list exists of teams who have the interest and financial wherewithal to trade for Baker Mayfield. One of the teams on that list is the Seahawks, who have recently been reported to have significant interest in acquiring the Browns QB. 

[RELATED: Mayfield Quells Talk Of Browns Reconciliation]

Seattle represented one of the most logical trade destinations once Mayfield’s trade request went public. He would bring more pedigree than Drew Lock, and more upside than Geno Smith, the two incumbents currently set to begin the post-Russell Wilson era. The fact that a Jimmy Garoppolo addition would require an intra-division trade further pointed to the former No. 1 overall pick ending up in the Emerald City.

Speculation continued when it came out that Mayfield himself was also interested in Seattle as a destination, echoing thoughts he made public earlier in the offseason once his trade request become known. However, the sense that a deal could be coming soon (or at any point) could be unfounded.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport threw cold water on the perceived connection between the Seahawks and Mayfield. When appearing on the Pat McAfee Show, he said that he has heard “nothing to corroborate Baker to the Seahawks at all” (video link). He added that the Seahawks “have never really been that interested in him.”

There is a difference, of course, between teams like the Seahawks (or his other most-predicted destination, the Panthers) trading for Mayfield – and therefore absorbing at least some of his $18.9MM cap hit – and signing him as a free agent upon his release, or the expiration of his contract next year. If Seattle remains committed to their current QB room, though, as head coach Pete Carrol has indicated they will do, attention will again be turned towards Carolina.

The most important next step is the Browns’ decision on how to handle Mayfield vis-à-vis Deshaun Watson. They will presumably wait until a final ruling is made on the latter’s eligibility to play in 2022 before trading the former Heisman winner, which will likely happen before training camp, Rapoport adds. Until then, this will remain a storyline worth watching for all parties involved.

Largest 2022 Cap Hits: Offense

July 4th, 2022 at 11:58am CST by Sam Robinson

After the COVID-19 pandemic led to the second reduction in NFL salary cap history last year, the 2022 cap made a record jump. This year’s salary ceiling ($208.2MM) checks in $25.7MM north of the 2021 figure.

While quarterbacks’ salaries will continue to lead the way, a handful of blockers and skill-position players carry sizable cap numbers for 2022. A few of the quarterbacks that lead the way this year may not be tied to those numbers once the regular season begins. The 49ers, Browns and Ravens have made efforts to alter these figures via trades or extensions.

Here are the top 2022 salary cap hits on the offensive side of the ball:

  1. Ryan Tannehill, QB (Titans): $38.6MM
  2. Patrick Mahomes, QB (Chiefs): $35.79MM
  3. Kirk Cousins, QB (Vikings): $31.42MM
  4. Jared Goff, QB (Lions): $31.15MM
  5. Aaron Rodgers, QB (Packers): $28.53MM
  6. Carson Wentz, QB (Commanders): $28.29MM
  7. Jimmy Garoppolo, QB (49ers): $26.95MM
  8. Russell Wilson, QB (Broncos): $24MM
  9. Lamar Jackson, QB (Ravens): $23.02MM
  10. Kenny Golladay, WR (Giants): $21.2MM
  11. Garett Bolles, T (Broncos): $21MM
  12. Dak Prescott, QB (Cowboys): $19.73MM
  13. Derek Carr, QB (Raiders): $19.38MM
  14. D.J. Humphries, T (Cardinals): $19.33MM
  15. Keenan Allen, WR (Chargers): $19.2MM
  16. Taylor Decker, T (Lions): $18.9MM
  17. Sam Darnold, QB (Panthers): 18.89MM
  18. Baker Mayfield, QB (Browns): $18.89MM
  19. Matt Ryan, QB (Colts): $18.7MM
  20. Ronnie Stanley, T (Ravens): $18.55MM
  21. Donovan Smith, T (Buccaneers): $18.4MM
  22. Ezekiel Elliott, RB (Cowboys): $18.22MM
  23. DeAndre Hopkins, WR (Cardinals): $17.95MM
  24. Cooper Kupp, WR (Rams): $17.8MM
  25. Laremy Tunsil, T (Texans): $17.71MM
  • The Chiefs’ cap sheet looks a bit different this year, with Tyreek Hill and Tyrann Mathieu off the roster. But Mahomes’ cap number rockets from $7.4MM in 2021 to the league’s second-largest figure in 2022. This marks the first time Mahomes’ 10-year contract is set to count more than $10MM toward Kansas City’s cap, with the AFC West champs not yet restructuring the deal this year.
  • Tied to a few lucrative extensions since relocating to Minnesota, Cousins’ third Vikings deal dropped his cap number from $45MM. The fifth-year Vikings QB’s cap number is set to climb past $36MM in 2023.
  • Prior to negotiating his landmark extension in March, Rodgers was set to count more than $46MM on the Packers’ payroll.
  • The 49ers are aiming to move Garoppolo’s nonguaranteed money off their payroll. That figure becomes guaranteed in Week 1, providing a key date for the franchise. San Francisco is prepared to let Garoppolo negotiate contract adjustments with other teams to facilitate a trade.
  • Wilson counts $26MM on the Seahawks’ 2022 payroll, due to the dead money the NFC West franchise incurred by trading its 10-year starter in March.
  • Jackson, Darnold and Mayfield are attached to fifth-year option salaries. Jackson’s is higher due to the former MVP having made two Pro Bowls compared to his 2018 first-round peers’ zero. The 2020 CBA separated fifth-year option values by playing time and accomplishments. The Browns and Panthers have engaged in off-and-on negotiations on divvying up Mayfield’s salary for months, while a Jackson extension remains on the radar.
  • Golladay’s cap number jumped from $4.47MM last year to the highest non-quarterback figure among offensive players. The Giants wideout’s four-year deal calls for $21MM-plus cap hits from 2023-24.
  • Prior to being traded to the Colts, who adjusted their new starter’s contract, Ryan was set to carry an NFL-record $48MM cap hit this year. The Falcons are carrying a league-record $40.5MM dead-money charge after dealing their 14-year starter.
  • The Texans restructured Tunsil’s deal in March, dropping his 2022 cap hit from $26.6MM to its present figure. Because of the adjustment, Tunsil’s 2023 cap number resides at $35.2MM

Contract information courtesy of Over The Cap 

5 Key Stories: 6/26/22 – 7/3/22

July 3rd, 2022 at 5:05pm CST by Adam La Rose

Even in the quietest part of the offseason, there were still some significant developments around the NFL. Here’s a quick rundown of the week’s top headlines:

  • Watson Hearing Concludes: The top offseason storyline in the league reached another critical stage, as the hearing presided over by Sue Robinson concluded after three days. Her decision on whether Browns QB Deshaun Watson will be suspended – and if so, for how long – will be the next step in this process, and could be delayed by a matter of weeks. Any appeals process (which would be administered by commissioner Roger Goodell or his appointee) would then follow, and have drastic consequences on Watson, the Browns and, given the precedent it could set, any players who find themselves in a similar situation in the future.
  • McLaurin Signs Extension With Commanders: The offseason was building towards Terry McLaurin signing a lucrative extension in Washington, and he did just that by inking a three-year deal. The pact carries an average annual value of $23.3MM, and includes a signing bonus of $28MM. With the new contract in hand, McLaurin will see significant guaranteed money, while still being eligible for another significant deal at the age of 30.
  • Mayfield Dispels Talk Of Browns Reconciliation: With a Watson suspension looming, many have pointed to Baker Mayfield as the Browns’ best QB option in 2022. He remains on the roster, as trade talks have sputtered throughout the offseason, but the fences between himself and the team still aren’t likely to be mended. “I think it’s pretty obvious the mutual decision on both sides is to move on,” he said, when asked about the possibility of rescinding his trade request to play out the final year of his contract in Cleveland. Finding a trade partner could still remain challenging for the team, though.
  • 49ers Nearing Samuel Extension?: With McLaurin (and fellow 2019 draftee A.J. Brown) having signed big-money extensions, attention will turn even more so to the 49ers and Deebo Samuel. It was reported that, as trade talk cools around the highly-productive ‘wide-back,’ the team is “expected to continue working toward” a new deal with Samuel. In that event, he could find himself under contract by training camp later this month, presumably joining the $20MM-per-year WR club as many others have already done this offseason along the way.
  • Texans Facing First Watson Suit: The civil litigation filed against Watson has been well-documented, and, even after 20 of those suits were settled, will remain a significant storyline into, quite possibly, next offseason. Another development related his case, though, was the news that the first lawsuit related to his conduct while with the Texans was filed against the franchise itself. A statement from plaintiff’s attorney Tony Buzbee suggested that many others could follow, claiming that “the overwhelming evidence collected indicating that the Houston Texans enabled Watson’s behavior is incredibly damning.”

Baker Mayfield Addresses Browns Relationship

June 28th, 2022 at 12:49pm CST by Sam Robinson

In trade rumors for three-plus months now, Baker Mayfield remains with the Browns. This relationship is heading toward the finish line, with the Panthers engaged in off-and-on talks with the Browns and the Seahawks monitoring this situation as well.

The former No. 1 overall pick left the door slightly ajar to a potential emergency-circumstance return to Cleveland — as Deshaun Watson braces for a potential season-long suspension — but this situation still looks unsalvageable.

“I think for that to happen, there would have to be some reaching out, but we’re ready to move on, I think, on both sides,” Mayfield said of a return to the Browns for his contract year, via Sooner Scoop’s Casey Murdock (video link).

[RELATED: How Should Panthers Proceed At QB?]

Watson participated in the Browns’ minicamp, while the team excused Mayfield from the mandatory workouts. Mayfield requested a trade just before the Browns were out, then back in, on the controversial quarterback. The Browns are not looking to void Watson’s NFL-record guarantee sum ($230MM), and Mayfield has been expecting an exit for several weeks.

Mayfield’s fully guaranteed $18.9MM salary has led to this process dragging well beyond minicamp. While the Browns have moved toward paying half of that amount or slightly more, the Panthers have not given in yet. The longer the Browns and Panthers haggle over how that amount will be split up, Mayfield’s time to develop in Carolina’s offense condenses. The Panthers praised Sam Darnold‘s offseason work, and while a competition between 2018 top-three draftees may well commence in training camp, Mayfield’s limbo stay persists.

“I think I got frustrated with it not happening before minicamp and all those things,” Mayfield said. “But that’s the stuff that’s out of my control, and let those things happen and fall into place.”

Cleveland’s rearranging of its QB depth chart continued with a Case Keenum-for-Jacoby Brissett swap of sorts, with the former being traded to Buffalo on the day of the latter’s Browns free agency agreement. Brissett is being positioned to start in the likely event of a lengthy Watson ban.

“I think it’s pretty obvious the mutual decision on both sides is to move on,” Mayfield said. “I’m thankful for my four years in Cleveland. There’s a lot of ups and downs, and a ton of learning experiences that I’ll forever keep with me. … There’s no resentment toward the city of Cleveland by any means.”

Mutual Interest Between Baker Mayfield, Seahawks?

June 24th, 2022 at 1:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

For a while, the Panthers appeared to have the Baker Mayfield market to themselves. Regarding a trade, that still may be the case. But the Seahawks continue to represent an interested party.

Mayfield is also interested in a Seattle destination, according to Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com, describing the Seahawks as more likely to acquire Mayfield than the Panthers — unless Carolina and Cleveland can move closer on trade terms. Those teams have been haggling over Mayfield’s contract for several weeks, though it is unknown what kind of compensation the Panthers are offering.

Not long after the Browns’ Deshaun Watson acquisition, Mayfield floated Seattle as his most likely landing spot. But the disgruntled QB was not exactly confident at that point, and the subsequent delay has only moved him further into NFL limbo. The Seahawks and Panthers worked with their in-house QBs throughout the two-month offseason program, but with Mayfield’s resume (as inconsistent as it is) presenting him as an upgrade for both teams, it is understandable he continues to be connected to each.

Carolina, however, has been the only team seriously mentioned as a Mayfield trade suitor. The Seahawks are not believed to have entered substantial negotiations with the Browns about splitting up Mayfield’s contract, with the NFC West team mentioned as only being interested in the QB as a free agent. That represents an interesting variable. The Seahawks have held a Geno Smith–Drew Lock competition, and Pete Carroll has said a trade for a third QB is unlikely. Of course, the 13th-year Seattle HC has offered some QB misdirection in the not-so-distant past.

Mayfield being interested in succeeding Russell Wilson in Seattle could provide some urgency for Carolina to finalize a trade. On the other end, the Panthers’ frequent talks — which are believed to have led to the Browns agreeing to pay around $10MM of Mayfield’s fully guaranteed $18.9MM salary — would stand to serve as a warning to the Seahawks they might miss out by not trying to acquire the fifth-year passer via trade. Thus far, the Seahawks have been willing to risk Mayfield going to the Panthers by not entering known trade talks.

Then again, the Seahawks just completed a major QB transaction after little surfaced regarding trade talks. The Broncos had been mentioned as a team Wilson would waive his no-trade clause for, but GMs John Schneider and George Paton‘s negotiations — between the Combine and early March, when the future Hall of Famer was dealt for a monster trade package — largely proceeded off the grid. If the Seahawks are potentially conducting trade talks with the Browns, that could prompt the Panthers to make a better offer.

If this process does reach the point the Browns cut Mayfield — which the AFC North team has continually resisted — the passer’s Seahawks interest would be relevant if it comes down to a Carolina-or-Seattle free agency decision. More than a month away from training camp, that scenario remains far off. But it would certainly be better for one of these teams to make a move earlier, in an effort to have Mayfield up to relative speed on his new team’s scheme by camp.

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