NFL Rumors: Browns not interested in moving out-of-favor Baker Mayfield at least till June
Baker Mayfield will reportedly be a member of the Cleveland Browns for at least another month. According to national NFL insider Ian Rapoport, there’ll be no movement with the Browns quarterback until June at the earliest:
"I don't get the sense that anything will happen with Baker Mayfield until June at the earliest."
Rapoport outlined that this story could continue for a while since there aren't any more definitive dates between this point and the beginning of the 2022 NFL regular season. It was to be believed that the former number one overall pick and his trade market might jump up a bit following this year’s NFL Draft.
"I don't get the sense that anything will happen with Baker Mayfield until June at the earliest" ~@RapSheet
#PMSLive https://t.co/8MPisZU33b
Franchises that were in need of a starting signal-caller and didn't draft one might have turned their attention to one like Mayfield. However, this didn't happen.
The Atlanta Falcons drafted Desmond Ridder in the third round and the Carolina Panthers took Matt Corral in the same round too. Carolina, in particular, looked like an ideal landing spot for the Cleveland quarterback.
On the other end of the spectrum, one team made it clear they have no interest in him: the Seattle Seahawks, according to ESPN NFL insider Diana Russini. In a recent interview on the Ryen Russillo podcast, she stated that Seattle informed her that they had no interest in him from day one and that they’ll go with Drew Lock under center:
"The Seahawks have been telling me from day one they have no interest in Baker Mayfield. "They're riding Drew Lock, which we can talk about another time. That's their choice."
The #Seahawks have always made the most sense for Baker Mayfield. He’d be the starter, and they have loads of talent at the skill positions. But, if that’s where Baker wants to go, and SEA knows that, they don’t need to trade for him. They’ll just wait for the #Browns to cut him.
Another reason that the Browns signal-caller hasn’t been moved is that he’s owed close to $19 million dollars this upcoming season. In that same interview, Russini stated that Cleveland isn’t interested in trying to split up his salary with any potential suitors:
"The Cleveland Browns do not want to take on that contract." They don't want to pay for that. I don't know the number they're willing to go to—but the last I checked, which was about a week-and-a-half ago—they want nothing to do with that deal."
Russini concluded:
"If you want Baker Mayfield, you're going to pay that money. Cleveland's not going to try to split it up with you."
Mayfield and his time with the Browns
He has started 59 games for the team since he was drafted in the 2018 NFL Draft, leading them to the playoffs in the 2020 season. A smashing 48-37 win against the Pittsburgh Steelers was the highlight of that campaign. His 14,125 passing yards are the fourth-most in franchise history and the 92 touchdown passes are the fifth-most.
It seems that the 27-year-old quarterback will be with the Browns for now. We’ll see how this continues to play out and where he’ll play his fifth season in the league in 2022.