Category: Baker Mayfield

Baker Mayfield: Top landing spots for the former Browns QB now that the Panthers have released him

Despite two teams with losing records giving up on Mayfield in such a short period of time, there will be some teams interested in Cleveland’s starting QB from 2018-2021.

The ongoing dramatic saga surrounding Baker Mayfield keeps rolling right along. Mayfield is once again out of work after the Carolina Panthers released the former Browns quarterback on Monday morning.

Carolina is the second NFL franchise to dump Mayfield in the last six months, following the Browns’ lead. Despite two teams with losing records giving up on Mayfield in such a short period of time, there will be some teams interested in Cleveland’s starting QB from 2018-2021.

Here are a few teams that are likely suitors for Baker Mayfield, listed in order of NFL waiver claim priority as of Week 13.

Browns exec, Garrett troll Baker Mayfield’s ‘off the leash’ after the game

“Off the Leash” wasn’t good enough for Mayfield in Week 1 so Garrett and Johnson took the chance to troll about it:

The Cleveland Browns barely pulled off a victory in Week 1 on the road versus QB Baker Mayfield and the Carolina Panthers. Mayfield almost got his revenge with a few blown coverages by the Browns defense leading to big plays and a lead late in the fourth quarter.

A questionable roughing the passer call against Carolina and a few key conversions put Cleveland in a position for rookie K Cade York to win the game.

This week, Mayfield released commemorative t-shirts for his Week 1 matchup with his former team. The tagline was simple, Mayfield was “Off the Leash” with his new team.

Following the game, Browns executive J.W. Johnson trolled Mayfield’s tagline with a tweet:

With Week 1 out of the way, Johnson and the Browns get the last laugh against Mayfield.

DE Myles Garrett joined in the trolling:

An emotional victory, on the road, could easily lead to a letdown in Week 2 versus the New York Jets. While that does not matter for Johnson, HC Kevin Stefanski must focus his team on the upcoming game. While the Jets will be without QB Zach Wilson and LT Duane Brown, they kept the game close in the first half versus the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1.

Cleveland has a lot to clean up but doing so after a victory is much sweeter. Garrett and Johnson seem to be enjoying it.

Browns Week 1 ‘X-Factor’ is a unique choice

‘X-factor’ players are not often on the offensive line but the Browns is. No shock who the Panthers choice was:

Sports tend to have unique lingo all their own or take words and phrases from other walks of life and incorporate them into their sport. A running list of some of those, like ‘shotgun,’ ‘Hail Mary,’ ‘dime defense,’ etc would be fun to walk through sometime. Especially to learn how they started.

‘X-factor’ has become more and more used in sports language over the years to identify a player that isn’t the most important player on the team but could make a huge impact. Somewhere between a star player and one that doesn’t see the field much is where we often find ‘X-factor’ players.

Ben Solak at The Ringer went through to give one of those players for each of the 32 teams in the NFL. For the Cleveland Browns, a player like David Njoku, Anthony Schwartz, David Bell or Martin Emerson could make sense.

Instead, Solak identified the Browns new starting center, Ethan Pocic:

This past offseason, the Browns elected to move on from Tretter in favor of Nick Harris, who was placed on injured reserve following a season-ending knee injury in the preseason. A running game like the Browns’ requires great communication, chemistry, and no weak links. If Pocic can’t handle his role, the keystone of the Browns’ entire offensive scheme could falter.

Solak is not wrong, Pocic’s role is huge given the style of offense the team runs and the importance of the offensive line. One weak link can easily break the chain.

While the choice for Cleveland was unique, the one chosen for their opponents, the Carolina Panthers, was a slam dunk to be QB Baker Mayfield:

The only way a flailing head coach can save his job is with a huge turn of fortune at quarterback, and Rhule has placed his eggs in the Mayfield basket. It’s not a terrible bet. Baker tends to play best when he feels like the underdog, and before the 2021 shoulder injury was a promising stretch of 2020 play. I’d still be shocked if Mayfield looks like a rising star, but if he plays well enough to win the Panthers a few games, they could keep Rhule around for another year and try to build around a Baker contract.

An interesting bet for the Panthers’ future for sure.

Who do you think is the Browns ‘X-Factor’ in Week 1?

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Brissett on Mayfield storylines, outside noise: ‘I don’t care’

For Brissett, not playing with Mayfield last year means “I don’t care” about that storyline this year:

The minute the Cleveland Browns traded QB Baker Mayfield to the Carolina Panthers the storyline for Week 1 was set. “Mayfield’s revenge game” is an interesting topic of conversation. Had the quarterback that was brought into replace Mayfield, Deshaun Watson, been playing it would have had a lot more attention to it.

Instead, it will be Watson’s backup, Jacoby Brissett, taking snaps behind center for the first 11 games of the season. “Mayfield versus his replacement’s replacement” just doesn’t have the same ring to it as “Mayfield versus Watson.”

Every player on the Browns interviewed this week will asked about Mayfield. It really is the storyline this week despite all the incredible talent that will be on the field. The Panthers need Mayfield to help save the current regime while the Browns want to prove that they can win games with Brissett at the helm.

Cleveland’s starting quarterback for Week 1 was asked about the Mayfield storyline:

Clear, reasonable answer. Brissett also doesn’t play against Mayfield, he has to worry about Brian Burns and the Carolina defense. Brissett took it a step further noting his limited concern about outside noise:

A lot of players say they don’t care or don’t pay attention to those outside stories and expectations but they aren’t all telling the truth. In the case of Brissett worrying about Mayfield, it is logical that he has no emotional connection since he wasn’t a teammate last year.

Other players that did play with Mayfield are likely to get the politically correct response. It is the smart thing to do as a professional which is what the Browns need most from their leaders.

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Unsurprising report: Baker Mayfield to be named starter for Week 1 versus Browns

As expected, Mayfield is likely to win the competition with Darnold in Carolina:

The Cleveland Browns story with QB Baker Mayfield didn’t end with the trade to the Carolina Panthers. Not only is the trade compensation that Cleveland received back conditional on Mayfield’s playing time but the two teams square off in Week 1.

For some fans, tracking Mayfield’s career and team accomplishments compared to that of QB Deshaun Watson and the Browns accomplishments may last for the next decade or so.

Outside of Week 1, Cleveland has some reasons to be rooting for their former top overall pick.

The Panthers have been splitting snaps between QB Sam Darnold and Mayfield all training camp with a competition between the two. Most observers have seen a clear difference between the former Heisman Trophy winner ahead of the former USC signal caller.

That makes it unsurprising that he is expected to win the QB competition and start against Cleveland in Week 1:

Barring something significant and as expected when the trade went down, it will be Browns versus Mayfield in North Carolina in Week 1 of the 2022 NFL season.

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Mayfield doesn’t want to see his Browns jersey on fans in Carolina

Mayfield is turning the page and, seemingly, wants fans to do so as well:

For a variety of reasons, the Cleveland Browns and Baker Mayfield will be linked together forever and especially early in this season. The Carolina Panthers acquired Mayfield to compete to be their starting quarterback. They gave up just a future fifth-round pick and are paying very little of his salary.

The Browns acquired that pick at the cost of paying over half Mayfield’s salary while the quarterback gave up millions of dollars to get a fresh start.

Unfortunately for both sides, the two parties are set to collide in Week 1 of the 2022 NFL season.

As Cleveland moves on, fans of the team over the last few years have made different decisions. Some Browns fans came along from Norman, Oklahoma and would “Ride with 6” no matter where he goes. Some Cleveland fans became enamored with Mayfield and have decided to follow him on to Carolina.

On day one of training camp, the former Browns starter made it clear he doesn’t want to see his Cleveland jersey at the Panthers practices:

A fan, likely the one Mayfield is speaking to in this video, was interviewed by the local media. She is one of the lifelong Browns fans, according to her statement, that will now be rooting for the Panthers:

With Cleveland and Carolina set to face off in Week 1, Mayfield will continue to be a topic of conversation for both sides.

Some Browns fans will defect, like the lady above. Some will wish Mayfield luck on his ways. Others will disparage him now that he’s gone. Still others were only fans of Cleveland because of their college affiliation. Good or bad, Mayfield draws a reaction from almost everyone involved.

Mayfield trade: Panthers only suitor, financials held up timing of trade

Continuing to put a bow on the Mayfield trade, reporting says no other team was interested in him and financials held up the trade for a while:

The Baker Mayfield trade is complete as he passed his physical with the Carolina Panthers and is no longer a member of the Cleveland Browns. The twisting in the wind for the team and the player is finally over but moving on will take some time.

Based on his injury, contract and possible personality clashes (highlighted by Odell Beckham Jr. rift last year), Mayfield’s value around the league seemed to be at an all-time low. It was such a big swing from a year ago when most Browns fans were confident they had their franchise quarterback.

Earlier this week, we covered reporting on the falling out between head coach Kevin Stefanski and Mayfield. The two most essential pieces of the team didn’t trust each other by the time it was all over.

Now comes another report, also from The Athletic but from a Carolina-based writer, that says no other team was a serious suitor for Mayfield this offseason:

Multiple sources told The Athletic that while the Browns discussed Mayfield’s situation with other teams during “routine” offseason discussions, the Panthers were the only serious suitor.

While the above reasons, along with frustration with Cleveland giving Deshaun Watson a guaranteed contract, could have impacted interest in the former Heisman Trophy winner, it is telling that not one other team was considered a serious suitor.

While the Browns were aware of this fact, they held a hard line in negotiations with the Panthers believing other options could become interested during training camp. After the two teams agreed to the trade parameters, Cleveland’s GM Andrew Berry gave Mayfield’s agents a chance to finalize the deal:

But they still had to figure out the financials. Berry called Tom Mills, Mayfield’s Colorado-based agent, and told him the Panthers and Browns had the framework in place but it would be up to Mills to work out the money piece of it with the Panthers.

The Browns stuck to their guns at paying a little over $10 million of Mayfield’s salary while Carolina was firm on paying around $5 million, after initially asking their new QB to give back $7 million instead of what ended up being $3.5 million.

In the end, the Panthers got their, likely, new starting quarterback for a cheap trade on a cheap contract. Mayfield got a chance to re-establish his value before free agency by giving up some of his guaranteed money. Cleveland gets to move on while paying over $10 million to get a fourth or fifth-round pick in two years.

Report: Lack of trust, a missed meeting and immaturity soured Mayfield, Stefanski relationship

With the divorce now final, stories will now come out regarding Mayfield’s tenure. Lloyd’s piece describes the relationship between a coach and QB that didn’t trust each other:

The Cleveland Browns and QB Baker Mayfield have moved on from each other. The team paying over $10 million of Mayfield’s salary just to get rid of him and get a day three draft pick. The player giving up over $3 million in guaranteed money just to get to play for another team.

As is often the case, after the divorce leads to stories from each side coming out as reporters are finally given the green light from sources to write something they’ve known for a while.

The problem between Mayfield and Kevin Stefanski seemed to bubble under the surface last season with glimpses popping up in different ways. Mayfield talked about needing better protection schemes and Stefanski’s playing calling seemed to put the QB in make-or-break situations at times.

Jason Lloyd of The Athletic (subscriber, $) described some of the problems behind the scenes between the two. All of them led to “a quarterback who didn’t trust his coach and a coach who didn’t trust his quarterback.”

Lloyd’s piece described an instance when Stefanski missed a meeting so he could meet with Myles Garrett privately. Mayfield had a problem with that which led to “a glaring spotlight” to be shown on the QB during film sessions from that day forward.

Lloyd may have made the strongest statement yet about Mayfield’s presence in the locker room:

Mayfield was widely viewed as childish and immature. His behavior annoyed teammates and divided the locker room. He was often difficult to coach.

The former Heisman Trophy winner and top overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft is now on to Carolina where he has a chance to turn things around. Perhaps the divorce will be best for all involved as it seems the relationship between coach and quarterback was beyond repair.

Curious timing of Mayfield trade benefits Browns

The timing of the Mayfield trade is curious, what changed? The delay in the trade will benefit the Browns in Week 1 of 2022:

Most around the league believed/assumed/knew that Baker Mayfield would be traded to the Carolina Panthers. That belief continued even after trade talks broke down between the Cleveland Browns and Panthers during the NFL draft.

For most, it was a question of “when not if” it happened.

Curiously, the Mayfield to Carolina trade happened a couple of days after July 4th. Nothing has changed for either team since the end of minicamp a couple of weeks ago, when the Panthers got to see Sam Darnold and Matt Corral, so why now?

Financially, it was pretty well known what Cleveland and Carolina were willing to pay of Mayfield’s contract. It is possible that Mayfield decided to give up guaranteed money to facilitate the deal after talking about his frustrations at his youth camp in Oklahoma.

The curious timing does benefit the Browns and their Week 1 matchup with the Panthers. While Mayfield may not have been able to do a ton on the field due to his shoulder surgery, he missed vital time in the offseason program with the Panthers.

Ben McAdoo’s system may be similar to one of the many Mayfield has played under in the NFL but the details are the most important thing for a quarterback. He will have a couple of weeks before training camp to start reviewing the playbook but the truncated timetable to get comfortable with the offense will likely limit him in Week 1.

That is one of the biggest reasons the Panthers were, reportedly, pushing for a trade to get done during minicamp sessions.

Cleveland’s trade of Mayfield will be discussed for years to come and ad nauseam leading up to his Week 1 matchup with his former team.  Unfortunately for the former Heisman Trophy winner and his new team, his preparation time in the transition is significantly limited.

Browns fans will be rooting for Mayfield except for Week 1 of 2022

Baker Mayfield is no longer a Cleveland Brown but the fan base gets to keep cheering him on and have a few reasons to do so. A win-win.

The Cleveland Browns closure with QB Baker Mayfield won’t become official until the end of the 2022 season despite Wednesday’s trade. Some Browns fans will follow Mayfield closely to compare whatever happens to him in the future and what happens with the team that traded him.

While the offseason has been full of those that support Mayfield saying how great he is and how poor of a decision the team made arguing with those who agreed with the team that Mayfield was not a top level quarterback.

Now on the Carolina Panthers, Mayfield’s success can impact the Browns in a couple of ways that will lead Browns fans to root for him.

First, the trade includes a conditional pick coming to Cleveland from Carolina. Initial reports state that the conditions on the pick are based on Mayfield’s playing time. If he meets the criteria, the Browns will get a fourth round pick. If he doesn’t, the pick is in the fifth round.

Second, Carolina has all three of Cleveland’s AFC North rivals on their schedule this year along with another playoff contender, the Denver Broncos.

Finally, whether a fan loved or hated the quarterback, Browns fans don’t benefit from focusing on more negatives now that he is off the roster. It benefits fans to hope for the best for Mayfield after Week 1 of the 2022 season.

Baker Mayfield is no longer a Cleveland Brown but the fan base gets to keep cheering him on. A win-win.