"A good problem to have" - Mike Florio urges Browns' division rivals to take a chance on Baker Mayfield
For all intents and purposes, Baker Mayfield's career with the Cleveland Browns is over. After the Browns went all in on Deshaun Watson and landed the controversial quarterback, their former starter expressed a desire for a trade.
With Watson's impending punishment not yet handed down, the Browns have hesitated to trade their former first overall draft pick. His desire to be free of Cleveland hasn't dwindled, though.
Several teams are reportedly interested in the quarterback. The Seattle Seahawks are the front runners for the former Oklahoma product's services, but there are other teams interested too. One surprising team that NFL analyst Mike Florio mentioned are the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Here's what Florio thinks:
"...With Pickett by all appearances not ready to play, isn’t Mayfield (if healthy) a better option than Mitch Trubisky? He definitely is. And while that would be an intriguing answer for 2022, it could throw a wrench in the plans for 2023... Some would call that a good problem to have."
Whether Cleveland would be willing to trade the quarterback to a division rival is a completely different matter.
Other teams interested in Baker Mayfield
The Carolina Panthers have been linked to the quarterback ever since he requested a trade. Many analysts think they are looking for a quarterback, and according to Florio, they're interested in Mayfield. The only holdup is who would pay his guaranteed salary, which might hinder the deal.
After striking out on Watson, the Atlanta Falcons are rolling with Marcus Mariota, but Florio believes they might not stick with him:
"Baker Mayfield is a better option than Marcus Mariota. Maybe the Falcons will come to terms with that during the slow weeks. Maybe they’ll realize that it won’t get any easier to get people to buy tickets and attend games absent a quarterback who plays well enough to make an NFC South also-ran into a potential contender."
The #Seahawks and the #Browns are still in discussions regarding QB Baker Mayfield. A deal was close to done, but a new team has reportedly entered the Mayfield sweepstakes as well. Stay tuned. https://t.co/STUH5Ccrfy
The New York Giants haven't picked up Daniel Jones' fifth-year option this season. This suggests they do not view him as their future quarterback. 2022 is a real make-it or break-it year for Jones, but it's possible he won't even get that chance.
It will be interesting to see how the situation develops as the season creeps closer.
If you use any of the above quotes, please credit Pro Football Talk, Mike Florio and H/T Sportskeeda.