Baker Mayfield - Pro Football Rumors

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.

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:

Ryan Tannehill, QB (Titans): $38.6MM
Patrick Mahomes, QB (Chiefs): $35.79MM
Kirk Cousins, QB (Vikings): $31.42MM
Jared Goff, QB (Lions): $31.15MM
Aaron Rodgers, QB (Packers): $28.53MM
Carson Wentz, QB (Commanders): $28.29MM
Jimmy Garoppolo, QB (49ers): $26.95MM
Russell Wilson, QB (Broncos): $24MM
Lamar Jackson, QB (Ravens): $23.02MM
Kenny Golladay, WR (Giants): $21.2MM
Garett Bolles, T (Broncos): $21MM
Dak Prescott, QB (Cowboys): $19.73MM
Derek Carr, QB (Raiders): $19.38MM
D.J. Humphries, T (Cardinals): $19.33MM
Keenan Allen, WR (Chargers): $19.2MM
Taylor Decker, T (Lions): $18.9MM
Sam Darnold, QB (Panthers): 18.89MM
Baker Mayfield, QB (Browns): $18.89MM
Matt Ryan, QB (Colts): $18.7MM
Ronnie Stanley, T (Ravens): $18.55MM
Donovan Smith, T (Buccaneers): $18.4MM
Ezekiel Elliott, RB (Cowboys): $18.22MM
DeAndre Hopkins, WR (Cardinals): $17.95MM
Cooper Kupp, WR (Rams): $17.8MM
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).

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.

Poll: How Should Panthers Proceed At QB?

June 23rd, 2022 at 1:58pm CST by Sam Robinson

Without a long-term quarterback plan since injuries began to keep Cam Newton off the field, the Panthers have attempted to land big fish at the position for a bit. But they have been unable to do so, leaving the team with a major question at the game’s premier position in a rather important year for Matt Rhule.

Carolina made serious efforts to trade for Matthew Stafford, offering a first-round pick and change, and Deshaun Watson, whom the team was linked to for over a year. Neither panned out, with the Rams swooping in late for a player who has since become a Super Bowl-winning QB. Although the Falcons were believed to be the second-place finishers for Watson, the Panthers also balked at the $230MM guarantee the Browns authorized. An inquiry into Russell Wilson‘s status went nowhere, with the longtime Seahawks QB prioritizing a Denver move.

The Panthers still have Sam Darnold, whom they acquired for three draft choices — including a second-round pick — last year. Darnold, 25, struggled through an injury-interrupted 2021 season, putting his status as Carolina’s 2022 QB in doubt. But the Panthers, upon trading for the former Jets top-three pick, exercised the scuffling passer’s fifth-year option. Darnold is guaranteed $18.9MM this year, and Rhule has praised his work this offseason.

The primary reason for the frequent Carolina-centric headlines this offseason, Baker Mayfield, 27, remains on the team’s radar. An early report this offseason indicated neither the Panthers nor Mayfield were on-board with a trade that moved the former No. 1 overall pick to Charlotte, but the NFC South team has come around. The Panthers have been by far the team most closely connected to Mayfield, having engaged with the Browns in trade talks during the draft and resuming them recently.

How Mayfield’s fully guaranteed $18.9MM salary would be divvied up would seem a somewhat minor hiccup, at least compared to the prospect of making a QB upgrade, but that component has stalled the talks for several weeks. The Browns were believed to offering to pay barely $3MM of Mayfield’s salary during the mid-draft talks, but they have since upped that figure to around $10MM. The Panthers have wanted the Browns to pay nearly $14MM of the figure. Cleveland holds the NFL’s most cap space, with Carolina at No. 2. It would seemingly benefit the Panthers to make this deal soon to give Mayfield as much time as possible to learn Ben McAdoo‘s playbook, and the Seahawks are lurking in the event Mayfield is cut.

Jimmy Garoppolo looms as an option as well, but Carolina is not believed to be interested in trading for him. The four-plus-year 49ers starter is tied to a $26.9MM base salary — one that becomes fully guaranteed in Week 1. The Panthers would be interested if the 49ers cut him, though the 30-year-old passer is coming off a three-injury season — one culminating with a throwing-shoulder surgery that paused his trade market.

Teams can certainly hold out to see if the 49ers — who have Deebo Samuel and Nick Bosa extensions on their docket but hold little in cap space — blink on Garoppolo’s salary ahead of his guarantee vesting. But the Panthers waiting that long runs the risk of Garoppolo not joining the team until just before the regular season. That would not put him in good position to succeed. Although frequently scrutinized, Garoppolo did rank 12th in QBR in 2019. That Super Bowl-qualifying campaign also marked his only healthy season in the past four.

Ranking 29th in 2021 QBR, Darnold trailed a hobbled Mayfield (27th) last season. Mayfield’s best QBR season (2020, when he ranked 10th) outpaces Darnold’s by a notable margin. A 25th-place finish in 2019 is Darnold’s best mark, and although he has not been given a favorable draw in four seasons, the USC product teeters on the bust cliff. That said, Mayfield’s 2020 is the outlier in his past three seasons, a span that included a 2019 regression and the injury-plagued 2021 that is leading him out of Cleveland.

The Panthers have outfitted Darnold with a better offensive line this year, and a healthy Christian McCaffrey would make a difference. But are Darnold (or third-rounder Matt Corral, who profiles as a longer-term project) and healthy versions of Mayfield and Garoppolo close enough in ability to venture into training camp without Carolina making a move? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts on this situation in the comments section.

How should the Panthers proceed at quarterback?

Trade for Baker Mayfield 37.33% (645 votes)

Wait for Jimmy Garoppolo to be cut 25.93% (448 votes)

Stick with Sam Darnold 23.26% (402 votes)

Start Matt Corral 13.48% (233 votes)

Total Votes: 1,728

Latest On Seahawks’ Interest In QB Baker Mayfield

June 22nd, 2022 at 6:18pm CST by Ben Levine

The Panthers have been the recent favorite to acquire quarterback Baker Mayfield, but it sounds like another suitor is still considering a trade for the Browns quarterback. According to Josina Anderson (on Twitter), the Seahawks continue to have a “high level of interest” in acquiring Mayfield.

Seattle isn’t only interested in a trade for Mayfield; they’re also interested in giving the former first-overall pick a contract extension. Anderson cautions that the Seahawks front office is still “collecting information and insights,” so a trade doesn’t sound like it’s imminent.

However, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times tweets some conflicting information, noting that nothing has really changed on the Seahawks front and they’re still interested in Mayfield if he gets released by the Browns. This would obviously require some kind of new deal, so both reporters seem to be on the same page about Seattle’s willingness to sign Mayfield to a long-term deal. However, Condotta makes it clear that the Seahawks have “zero interest” in acquiring Mayfield on his current contract.

Recent reports indicated that the Panthers were also wary of inheriting Mayfield’s $18.9MM salary. While the Browns were initially unwilling to pay much (if any) of the QB’s salary, it sounds like the team is now willing to pick up about $8MM or $9MM on the tab. The Panthers, meanwhile, were hoping Cleveland would pick up about $13MM of Mayfield’s salary. It’s uncertain if Seattle would have similar interest in such an arrangement, but it’s pretty clear that the Browns will have to eat some of the Mayfield’s salary if they hope to pull off a trade.

Mayfield is currently set to play 2022 on his fifth-year option. Thanks to some offset language in that deal, the Browns could end up owing up to $17MM if they simply cut the QB.

Browns Willing To Pay Half Of Baker Mayfield’s Salary To Facilitate Trade?

June 20th, 2022 at 5:11pm CST by Sam Robinson

When the Browns and Panthers held trade talks regarding Baker Mayfield during the draft, the AFC North team was not believed to be willing to pay much of its former starting quarterback’s salary to move him. Cleveland may be coming around.

The teams picked up talks recently, and the Browns are now prepared to pay more of Mayfield’s fully guaranteed $18.9MM salary to facilitate a deal. The team has moved to the $9-$10MM range, Albert Breer of SI.com said during an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show (video link). This still does not meet the Panthers’ asking price, Breer adds. It is unclear where the sides are on draft compensation, but rumblings continue to emerge about Mayfield finally changing teams.

During the teams’ draft talks, the Browns were not far beyond the $3MM mark here. Carolina was believed to want Cleveland to pick up at least $13MM of Mayfield’s salary to sign off on a deal, creating an impasse that led to Mayfield-to-Charlotte buzz cooling. By not reaching the Panthers’ price point, the Browns are betting on the Panthers — they of a quarterback room headlined by Darnold and Matt Corral — meeting their terms to ensure a better QB1 option arrives weeks ahead of training camp. Urgency has surfaced on Carolina’s side, though Matt Rhule said that was not the case. The game of chicken persists.

The Panthers (and Seahawks) can continue to force the Browns to carry Mayfield’s salary on their books, but Cleveland — thanks in part to structuring Deshaun Watson‘s contract in a way to minimize the financial penalty the embattled QB would endure if/when suspended — has a gargantuan cap-space lead on the rest of the NFL. As of Monday afternoon, the Browns hold more than $42MM in cap space. No other team possesses $26MM.

If the Browns cut Mayfield, they could end up owing more than $17MM — thanks to offset language in his rookie deal. Although some executives expect the Browns to finally cut bait, they have maintained throughout the offseason that will not happen. By going through minicamp with their oft-scrutinized QB setups, the Panthers and Seahawks gained extended looks at their in-house options. But Mayfield and Jimmy Garoppolo, whose March shoulder surgery clouds his trade market until at least July, remain available. As long as that is the case, Carolina and Seattle’s QB situations will continue to generate attention.

Browns Not Expected To Target Sam Darnold In Baker Mayfield Trade

June 16th, 2022 at 6:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

With the Browns and Panthers haggling over how Baker Mayfield‘s 2022 salary will be paid, Cleveland taking back one of Carolina’s quarterbacks in a deal would not seem in step with these negotiations. But Deshaun Watson‘s status may point to the Browns looking around at emergency QB options, considering Mayfield is out of the picture for such a role.

Sam Darnold is not expected to be on such a list, and as of now, the Browns are not preparing to chase a QB upgrade as part of a Watson contingency plan. A Mayfield-for-Darnold swap is not believed to be on the Browns’ radar, according to cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot, who adds the AFC North team is confident in offseason addition Jacoby Brissett.

Carolina and Cleveland have picked up talks on Mayfield recently, with the NFC South squad displaying some urgency here. If Mayfield finally does end up being traded, the acquiring team would be wise to do it soon for the purposes of the relocating quarterback immersing himself in his new team’s playbook ahead of training camp.

Matt Rhule said a trade weeks in advance of camp is not essential to a QB learning Ben McAdoo‘s playbook, but the more time Mayfield would have with Carolina’s system, the better off he would be. Illustrating money’s impact in these talks, the Panthers would have hoped to acquire Mayfield before or during minicamp for acclimation purposes, Joe Person of The Athletic notes (subscription required).

Like Mayfield, Darnold is tied to a fifth-year option salary of $18.9MM. As 2018 draftees, Mayfield and Darnold are part of the first class to have their fifth-year options fully guaranteed. While trade-value purposes should be considered here, Rhule is believed to be warming to another Darnold season. Given the efforts the Panthers have made to acquire a better QB over the past two years, that would be quite the development. Mayfield would seemingly be a better option, his inconsistency notwithstanding, but his former draft classmate has been prepping in McAdoo’s system for five months.

The Browns were linked to Darnold ahead of the 2018 draft; Mayfield emerged late in the process. The two passers’ work to date suggests then-GM John Dorsey made the right decision, but Darnold — who is two years younger, at 25 — has been stationed behind below-average offensive lines throughout his career. Mayfield enjoyed a top-tier line during the second half of his Cleveland run. Darnold has not shown what Mayfield has during the latter’s highpoints, but with a new-look Panther O-line and a quality set of skill-position players, this might be the USC product’s best chance of putting together a decent season.

Signed to a one-year, $4.65MM deal this offseason, Brissett replaced Case Keenum as the Browns’ backup. The frequent fill-in starter stands to be a pivotal figure in the Browns’ season. With a lengthy Watson suspension expected, the former Patriots, Colts and Dolphins QB will be on track to make several starts for a Browns team that has seen its preferred starter encounter additional turmoil since the divisive blockbuster trade occurred.

Browns, Panthers Remain In Discussions On Baker Mayfield

June 14th, 2022 at 9:02am CST by Sam Robinson

As the Browns and Panthers’ salary viewpoints diverged considerably during the draft, the teams’ Baker Mayfield talks broke down. Carolina traded into the third round for Matt Corral. Matt Rhule is warming up to the idea a Corral-Sam Darnold competition will be enough for this year’s Panthers edition, Joe Person of The Athletic notes (subscription required).

But Mayfield is still generating support from some inside the NFC South squad’s building, Person adds. This has reached the point where the Panthers have resumed discussions with the Browns on a trade for the fifth-year quarterback, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports tweets.

Both teams begin minicamp Tuesday. Rhule said last week the Panthers would evaluate their quarterback position after minicamp but indicated a free agent at any position would not need to be acquired too long before training camp to pick up new OC Ben McAdoo‘s system. Days later, some semblance of urgency exists on the Panthers’ side on the Mayfield front, Jones adds (via Twitter). This stance would make sense, with Mayfield having a better chance to bounce back in Carolina with additional time to learn McAdoo’s offense ahead of training camp.

The Panthers having checked in on Russell Wilson and aggressively pursued Deshaun Watson — a year after making a strong offer for Matthew Stafford — makes the prospect of running it back with Darnold (31st in 2021 QBR) tough to buy. But Rhule has bolted on the team’s previous starter (Cam Newton, Teddy Bridgewater) in each of his first two offseasons. And the team did make upgrades along its offensive line, which would stand to aid Darnold in his second Panthers slate. But, through four seasons, Mayfield has been a far more viable starter than Darnold. For a coach on one of the NFL’s hottest seats, adding a quarterback at a much cheaper cost than it took to land Bridgewater or Darnold would seemingly check out.

The Browns have waited for the Panthers’ Darnold-Corral competition to induce them to return to the Mayfield table, but money still divides the teams sitting first and second in cap space. During the draft, the Browns were barely prepared to pay $3MM of Mayfield’s $18.9MM fully guaranteed salary. The Panthers wanted them to pick up at least $13MM. Cleveland appears to have moved closer to the latter figure, and the more the AFC North team pays, the better the draft compensation would be. Still, Carolina should not be expected to give up much for Mayfield.

The Browns would be stuck with nearly the full salary if they release Mayfield, which has long been a non-starter. The Seahawks have been monitoring this situation for months, but lately, the only Seattle-Mayfield connections pertain to a potential release. The latest reports of Panthers-Browns talks could motivate the Seahawks — amid a Geno Smith–Drew Lock QB competition — to reconsider their trade stance. For now, Carolina remains the frontrunner for Mayfield.