Baker Mayfield

Browns Will Not Release Baker Mayfield

May 29th, 2022 at 11:18am CST by Rory Parks

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.

Latest On Browns, Baker Mayfield

May 23rd, 2022 at 5:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

Baker Mayfield is not planning to show for Browns OTAs, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The Browns are surely fine with this, given the distraction their former starting quarterback could cause alongside their new one. Cleveland’s OTAs begin Tuesday.

The team has hung onto Deshaun Watson‘s disgruntled predecessor two months after his trade request surfaced, and Panthers and Seahawks interest has not reached the point where the NFC teams are satisfied with how much the Browns are willing to pay to move Mayfield off their roster. Cleveland has, however, expressed a willingness to pay a “good chunk” of Mayfield’s fully guaranteed fifth-year option salary ($18.9MM), Albert Breer of SI.com notes.

A game of chicken may well be taking place between the Browns and the NFC teams, whose quarterback depth charts have drawn consistent scrutiny. Carolina came closest to acquiring Mayfield, entering into trade talks with Cleveland, but it is rolling out a Sam Darnold–Matt Corral competition. Seattle is going with a Drew Lock–Geno Smith setup. Neither group inspires at this point, and the Browns may be betting one of the NFC teams agrees to their terms to finally upgrade at the game’s top position. But the chance the Seahawks or Panthers could land Mayfield for the league minimum exists. That has not enticed either to trade a low-level draft asset for the former No. 1 overall pick.

Because offset language exists in Mayfield’s rookie contract, he would not be able to double dip in salary this year. But if the Browns release him, the former Heisman winner could stick his old team with a $17MM-plus bill by signing for the league minimum ($1.1MM). As such, the Panthers or Seahawks agreeing to pay even a third of Mayfield’s current $18.9MM salary would mean decent savings for the Browns.

OTAs and minicamp could play a major role in how the Panthers and Seahawks proceed, as a healthy version of Mayfield would stand to be an improvement for both teams. Mayfield’s health and the presence of fellow trade-block resident Jimmy Garoppolo still impacts this saga as well. Seattle’s minicamp is scheduled to wrap up June 9; Carolina’s is slated to conclude its offseason program June 16. If neither team blinks, the Browns — who are likely to excuse Mayfield from their mandatory minicamp — will be forced into a decision ahead of training camp. Mayfield is expected to be ready for full participation, following his January shoulder surgery, by training camp, Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer notes.

Baker Mayfield Still On Radar For Seahawks, Panthers

May 21st, 2022 at 3:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

Shortly after the draft, Pete Carroll said he does not envision the Seahawks trading for a quarterback. Of course, the 13th-year Seahawks HC said at the Combine the team had no intention of trading Russell Wilson. Plans change. The Seahawks are now pitting two 2021 backups (Drew Lock and Geno Smith) against one another to succeed Wilson.

On that note, the team has not closed the door on Baker Mayfield, Jeff Howe of The Athletic notes (subscription required). The Panthers remain open to trading for the disgruntled Browns QB as well, but a familiar refrain continues to interrupt a potential deal. Both teams are not satisfied with where the Browns are regarding Mayfield’s fifth-year option salary.

Browns-Panthers talks progressed ahead of the draft’s second night, but Cleveland was not willing to pay enough of Mayfield’s salary ($18.9MM) for Carolina’s liking. The Panthers drafted Ole Miss’ Matt Corral that night, but the Ole Miss product would likely not deter a healthy Mayfield from taking the Panthers’ reins.

Both NFC teams connected to Mayfield want the Browns to pay most of that salary, per Howe, who adds the Browns are essentially daring each franchise to move forward with their present quarterback plans. Cleveland is betting both teams would pay Mayfield more than the veteran minimum ($1.1MM), which factors into this standstill. While Corral-Sam Darnold and Lock-Smith competitions do not exactly inspire, the Panthers and Seahawks are making the reverse bet — that the Browns will cut bait rather than let this drag deep into the summer. A free agency pursuit would certainly be interesting, but we are not there yet.

The surgery Mayfield underwent on his non-throwing shoulder would prevent him from practicing at this point; this also limits the former playoff starter’s trade value. The 49ers are in a similar situation with Jimmy Garoppolo, whose availability also impacts Mayfield. An NFC in which Mayfield and Garoppolo are in Seattle and Carolina, with the 49ers presumably preferring to deal Garoppolo out of the NFC West, would be more appealing than where those QB competitions currently stand. And rumors connecting the two veterans to these teams likely will not subside until each returns to full strength at some point this summer.

Poll: Who Will Acquire Baker Mayfield?

May 10th, 2022 at 6:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

Nearly two months have passed since Baker Mayfield made his trade request. The Browns engaged in trade talks with the Panthers during the draft, but the sides did not come particularly close to a deal. As the team begins its Deshaun Watson era, its previous starter waits to learn his next NFL destination.

The Browns wanted to wanted to trade their four-year starter quickly, but the quarterback market soon featured few potential takers. It became clear a low-level return was to be expected, and to even recoup that, the Browns will have to eat a chunk of Mayfield’s $18.9MM fifth-year option salary. This has caused Cleveland to hold tight, and The Athletic’s Zac Jackson notes the Browns are prepared to ride this out to potentially wait to see if an injury forces a team to reconsider Mayfield in an emergency circumstance (subscription required). The Browns will excuse Mayfield from their June minicamp, if necessary, allowing the QB to satisfy his attendance requirements toward his 2022 salary.

Cutting Mayfield now would benefit him. He is locked into that $18.9MM salary, which would become Browns dead money, and have his pick of teams — perhaps as a chance to prove himself ahead of an intriguing 2023 free agency bid — from which to choose. The longer this impasse goes, the more Mayfield will be limited regarding assimilation with his next team. If the Browns are truly intent on waiting for a training camp injury to change the equation — a la Teddy Bridgewater in 2016 or Ryan Tannehill in 2017 — that will not go over well with Mayfield’s camp.

The Panthers have a fifth-year option salary on their quarterback depth chart, in Sam Darnold, but Mayfield has outperformed his draft classmate. Carolina would probably pounce if Mayfield hit free agency, but the team wanted Cleveland to pick up most of Mayfield’s salary to facilitate a trade. The Panthers then traded up for Matt Corral in Round 3. Mayfield, who led the Browns to their first playoff win since 1994, would undoubtedly give the 2022 Panthers a better chance to win compared to Darnold or Corral — Robby Anderson‘s thoughts on the matter notwithstanding — and USA Today’s Josina Anderson tweets the Panthers have not closed the book here. Carolina also holds the league’s most cap space, at $29MM-plus.

Mentioned as a Mayfield suitor earlier this offseason, the Seahawks are holding a Drew Lock–Geno Smith competition. Seattle, which also resisted selecting a QB in the draft, is not planning to trade for a passer. This is also a team that would certainly take a hard look at Mayfield in free agency, but if Pete Carroll‘s persistent Lock praise is to be believed, the Seahawks’ post-Russell Wilson plan is to let two 2021 backups vie for the job.

The Texans loom as Mayfield monitors. They did not draft a quarterback and have 2021 third-rounder Davis Mills positioned to start. While Watson’s ex-employer was not interested in taking Mayfield as part of that trade, the prospect of the Browns eating much of his 2022 salary changed the equation. Mayfield’s arrival would throw a wrench into Mills’ development, and Houston does not appear prepared to compete for a playoff spot in a stacked AFC. But the disgruntled vet, once healthy, would represent an upgrade opportunity. Of course, so would fellow trade-block resident Jimmy Garoppolo, who has close ties to GM Nick Caserio from their New England days.

The rebuilding Falcons used a third-round pick on Desmond Ridder but have only Marcus Mariota as a placeholder. If Daniel Jones fails to impress the new Giants regime this offseason, would they look into Mayfield? Barring injuries, are there other teams that would make sense? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section.

Browns Could Release QB Baker Mayfield?

May 7th, 2022 at 11:00am CST by Ben Levine

Baker Mayfield could ultimately be cut by the Browns. A league source told Josina Anderson that while their team has expressed interest in a trade for the former first-overall pick, talks ultimately cooled because the team didn’t want to meet Cleveland’s asking price (Twitter link). Further, suitors believe this could be heading toward a release, so inquiring teams aren’t interested in breaking the bank for a player they could potentially sign outright.

“No one’s trying to do the Browns any favors in this situation,” the source told Anderson.

We previously heard that the terms of Mayfield’s $18.9MM 2022 option led to the Browns-Panthers trade talks fizzling. Carolina wanted Cleveland to pick up most of that fully guaranteed salary. The Browns have remained unwilling to cut Mayfield, but the organization may not have another choice as they look to avoid an awkward situation. The Panthers, Seahawks, and Texans have been among the teams most recently connected to the QB.

Mayfield attempting to play through a torn shoulder labrum undoubtedly hurt his standing, though the Browns were reluctant to engage in extension talks before the start of the 2021 campaign. Prior to Mayfield’s injury, reports emerged indicating he was fine with playing out his fourth season absent an extension. But Mayfield’s value cratered in 2021, with the former Heisman winner’s completion percentage plummeting from an NFL-best 82% before his September shoulder injury to 58% in the games following the setback. The latter portion comprised most of the season, leading the Browns to an 8-9 record and pushing this situation to its present state.

Mayfield underwent surgery in January but contacted Amari Cooper about a potential throwing session in March. However, the Browns’ entrance into the Deshaun Watson mix — and the “adult in the room” comment — proved to be enough for Mayfield to request a trade. The 27-year-old passer requested to be dealt nearly two months ago, but the standoff persists.

Pete Carroll Doesn’t Envision Seahawks Trading For QB

May 5th, 2022 at 10:22pm CST by Ben Levine

The Seahawks continue to be mentioned as a suitor for one of the several available veteran QBs. However, coach Pete Carroll doesn’t envision the organization adding to the position, per ESPN’s Brady Henderson (on Twitter).

“I don’t see us making a trade for anybody at all,” Carroll told reporters. “I don’t see that happening.”

After trading Russell Wilson earlier this offseason, the Seahawks have been connected to a number of available quarterbacks, including Baker Mayfield (who mentioned the Seahawks himself) and Jimmy Garoppolo. The Seahawks make sense as a landing spot; after all, the team’s options at quarterback are currently Geno Smith and Drew Lock. The team is also rostering former Colts fourth-round pick Jacob Eason and recent UDFA addition Levi Lewis.

Lock, who was acquired in the Wilson trade, struggled during his three seasons in Denver. Despite his second-round pedigree, the QB went 8-13 as a starter while tossing 25 touchdowns vs. 20 interceptions. Smith stepped in for the injured Wilson midway through the 2021 campaign. In four total appearances (including three starts), he threw for 702 yards and five touchdowns, completing over 68% of his passes.

The organization was expected to address the position at some point this offseason. They didn’t end up adding a QB in the draft, so no matter what Carroll says publicly, the team will likely be connected to any available quarterbacks until the trade deadline (or until they end up making a move).

Browns, Panthers Were Not Close On Baker Mayfield Trade

May 5th, 2022 at 5:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although the Panthers may circle back to Baker Mayfield, the disgruntled quarterback’s path out of Cleveland in a trade narrowed last week when the Browns and Panthers could not agree on terms. Carolina traded into Round 3 for Matt Corral, diminishing its interest in taking on part of Mayfield’s fifth-year option salary.

As previously noted, the terms of Mayfield’s $18.9MM 2022 option led to the Browns-Panthers trade talks fizzling. Carolina wanted Cleveland to pick up most of that fully guaranteed salary, according to ESPN.com’s Jake Trotter, who adds the trade talks that concluded Friday did not come especially close to producing a deal.

The Browns remain unwilling to cut Mayfield, though with the Seahawks curiously not showing much interest, they may have no choice. The Texans have also surfaced as a potential suitor. Both teams and others likely would take a hard look at the four-year starter as a free agent, but for now, the Browns are not prepared to cut Mayfield loose.

Mayfield attempting to play through a torn shoulder labrum undoubtedly hurt his standing, though Trotter adds the Browns were reluctant to engage in extension talks before the start of the 2021 campaign. Prior to Mayfield’s injury, reports emerged indicating he was fine with playing out his fourth season absent an extension. But Mayfield’s value cratered in 2021, with the former Heisman winner’s completion percentage plummeting from an NFL-best 82% before his September shoulder injury to 58% in the games following the setback. The latter portion comprised most of the season, leading the Browns to an 8-9 record and pushing this situation to its present state.

Mayfield underwent surgery in January but contacted Amari Cooper about a potential throwing session in March, per Trotter. However, the Browns’ entrance into the Deshaun Watson mix — and the “adult in the room” comment — proved to be enough for Mayfield to request a trade. The 27-year-old passer requested to be dealt nearly two months ago, but the standoff persists.

Panthers Still Open To Veteran QB Addition

May 4th, 2022 at 4:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although the Panthers came away with a Day 2 quarterback in this draft (Matt Corral), third-round picks do not necessarily block teams from further investments at this position. The team will continue to look into the likes of Jimmy Garoppolo, Baker Mayfield and now Nick Foles, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes.

GM Scott Fitterer said post-draft the team would go with its current group — one headlined by Sam Darnold and Corral — but Garoppolo or Mayfield would provide an upgrade. The Panthers and Browns had discussed Mayfield ahead of last week’s second round but could not determine how to divvy up the since-replaced QB’s fifth-year option salary ($18.9MM). Darnold is already attached to that sum, which would make Carolina eating all of Mayfield’s option price a non-starter. As such, Mayfield is in limbo.

This marks the second Garoppolo connection to form in the past few days, with the Texans also believed to have the longtime 49ers starter on their radar. Houston did not draft a quarterback last week. Few Garoppolo connections emerged this offseason, with the 49ers’ high asking price limiting teams’ interest. The eight-year veteran’s shoulder surgery provided a roadblock as well.

Foles, 33, languished on the Bears’ bench for most of last season. The former Super Bowl MVP also lost his starting job in both 2019 (to Gardner Minshew in Jacksonville) and ’20 (to Mitchell Trubisky, after having taken it from the incumbent earlier that year). Last season, Andy Dalton and Justin Fields ran Chicago’s offense in all but one game — a Foles-directed win in Seattle — and the Bears finally cut bait after the draft.

Corral became a Panther after the team traded into the third round, giving up its 2023 third-rounder to do so, but the team might have had its eye on a different QB. The Panthers had a deal on the table to trade back into Round 2, when Corral, Malik Willis and Desmond Ridder were on the board amid their Friday-night freefalls.

“I had the card in my hand, and [owner David Tepper] looks at me and says, ‘What do you want to do?’” Fitterer said, via Breer. “And we both just kind of took a moment, and we looked at the board, and we decided the right thing to do was to be patient. Let’s not overpay. Let’s be smart about this. Let’s not dig ourselves in a hole for next year. Let’s inch back on trading with these quarterbacks.”

The Falcons and Titans took Ridder and Willis, respectively, and Breer adds the Panthers would have been fine going with Sam Howell instead of Corral. They decided on the Ole Miss product, and the in-state product fell all the way to Washington atop Round 5.

Panthers Out Of Running For Browns QB Baker Mayfield?

April 30th, 2022 at 8:43am CST by Ben Levine

The Panthers entered the weekend as the favorites to acquire Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield, with ESPN’s Kimberley A. Martin tweeting on Friday that talks could soon “heat up” between the two teams. Instead, the Panthers traded up in the draft to select Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral with the No. 94 pick. So what gives?

According to Yahoo’s Charles Robinson (on Twitter), talks between the Panthers and Browns were “halted” after the sides couldn’t come to terms on a deal. Specifically, the two front offices were squabbling over how to divide up Mayfield’s $18.8MM in guaranteed money next season. Of course, the money might not have been the only reason why the Panthers seemingly pivoted from a veteran to a rookie; per ESPN’s David Newton, adding a quarterback via the draft “always was [GM Scott] Fitterer‘s first choice.”

Now, Robinson’s report might not necessarily stop trade talks altogether, but for what it’s worth, Fitterer seemed to shut the door on adding another QB to the grouping of Corral, Sam Darnold, and P.J. Walker.

“I never put an absolute on anything,” Fitterer said (via Newton). “We came into this weekend with the intention of getting a quarterback, and that’s what we did. And we’re going to go with this group.”

With one suitor apparently out of the running, the options appear to be drying up for Mayfield and the Browns. As Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com writes, the Seahawks were the only Mayfield/rookie QB suitor to not add a signal-caller through the first two days of the draft. The Lions and Saints have also been mentioned as potential landing spots, while the Panthers and Falcons (who selected Cincinnati QB Desmond Ridder) would be out. Fortunately for the Browns, the worst-case scenario is no longer a concern; with the Steelers drafting Kenny Pickett, the Browns no longer have to worry about cutting Mayfield and watching him land in Pittsburgh.

Latest On Panthers’ QB Pursuit

April 29th, 2022 at 4:46pm CST by Adam La Rose

4:46pm: The Panthers and Browns have continued their conversations on Mayfield, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com notes (video link). The expectation now is Cleveland needing to eat a chunk of Mayfield’s $18.9MM fifth-year option salary would stand to improve Mayfield’s price tag, but NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport adds the cost for the since-replaced QB is expected to be a Day 3 pick.

The Panthers are also a candidate to trade into Round 2 for a rookie, but that would be quite costly. Because of its trades for Sam Darnold and C.J. Henderson, Carolina does not pick again until No. 137. Carolina is, however, high on Willis and Corral. Both visited the Panthers earlier this month, joining fellow potential Carolina target Howell in doing so.

12:04pm: Day 1 of this year’s draft has come and gone, and Sam Darnold remains at the top of the Panthers’ quarterback depth chart. While that doesn’t come as a surprise, the team’s situation at the position could still change in the near future.

According to Jeff Howe of the Athletic, Carolina’s interest in veterans such as Baker Mayfield and Jimmy Garoppolo could heat back up. Given the fact that they made the expected move to bolster their offensive line by drafting Ikem Ekwonu sixth overall, he writes, the Panthers “now should be players for Mayfield.”

The two parties were linked in the build-up to the draft, with Carolina finding themselves as one of the runners-up to acquire Deshaun Watson. After initial reports indicated the team had little, if any, interest in Mayfield, the Panthers emerged in the eyes of many as the favorite to acquire him. Doing so, however, was only thought to be feasible after at least the draft’s opening round.

As Howe notes, any potential trade involving Mayfield is complicated by a number of factors. One is his contract; the 2018 No. 1 pick is due $18.86MM on the fifth-year option, just as Darnold is. For that reason, Howe writes, “the Browns are prepared to pay a portion of Mayfield’s salary to facilitate a deal.” Another is the team’s complete lack of Day 2 picks, taking them out of the running to draft the likes of Malik Willis, Desmond Ridder, Sam Howell or Matt Corral without sacrificing 2023 capital.

“I think we’ll look at every opportunity out there” said general manager Scott Fitterer, via Howe’s colleague Joe Person, regarding the QB market. “There’s still some really good players in this draft. And we’ll also look at every opportunity outside the organization.” Whether the team acts on those opportunities will be worth monitoring as the weekend progresses.

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