"He dragged that sorry a** franchise to the playoffs" - NFL fans question treatment meted out to Baker Mayfield by Browns
Baker Mayfield was once the toast of the town as the QB hero of the Cleveland Browns. Now, the former No. 1 pick cannot wait to get out of Cleveland and away from the franchise that many said at the time was reaching for him by taking him with the top overall selection.
Mayfield opened up about his issues on the Ya Never Know podcast, flat out saying he feels disrespected by the franchise for how they handled their QB situation this past offseason. He said:
"The respect thing is like, it's all going to be a personal opinion. But I feel disrepscted. 100%. Because I was told one thing and they completely did another. That's what I'm in the middle of right now..."
Baker Mayfield on the @ynk_podcast: “I feel disrespected — 100%. Because I was told one thing and they completely did another. That’s what I’m in the middle of right now. I've had 4 different head coaches in four years. A bunch of different coordinators." https://t.co/Eok9peq7Vc
The arrival of Deshaun Watson--which was accompanied by a fully guaranteed $230 million contract of extension--was seen by the Oklahoma alum as a sign of disrespect.
As it should be. Baker Mayfield led the Browns to the 2020 postseason and guided them to a victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC's Wild Card Round, breaking an 18-year postseason draught in the process.
And seeing a QB that hasn't even played since the 2020 season receive a fully-guaranteed max contract is borderline inconceivable on its own merits, especially when considering the team already has someone capable of manning the position.
Some came to the defense of Baker Mayfield on Twitter
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle couldn't help but ask a pressing question many had on their minds in watching Mayfield explain himself on the YNK Podcast:
@MySportsUpdate @ynk_podcast Is the dog ok
Others weighed in more seriously about how the Browns mistreated the Austin, Texas-born QB:
I mean, yeah, of course, he feels disrespected by a team that dumped him after four years in favor of a QB who has 22 ongoing civil suits. Who wouldn't? He dragged that sorry franchise to the playoffs only to get shoved out a year later. twitter.com/MySportsUpdate…
I don't know if this is a hot take but Baker is right & I don't know why the Panthers, Seahawks or Falcons haven't jumped to sign him twitter.com/MySportsUpdate…
I %100 side with Baker on this. I’ll always take the players side. Sounds like he’s taken ownership for his poor play but also acknowledges the front office and revolving door at HC has much impact on the dysfunction in Cleveland. Even with Watson I’d stay away from Cleveland. twitter.com/mysportsupdate…
Baker Mayfield expects a trade from the Cleveland Browns soon
When asked where he thinks he will be traded next, Baker had an interesting answer:
Baker is asked where he think he’s going to play next: “This would’ve been a week-and-a-half ago, I would’ve said Indianapolis.” He then says Seattle is “probably the most likely option. … even then, no idea. … I’m ready for the next chapter."
Of course, the Indianapolis Colts are no longer a viable option after they acquired Matt Ryan from the Atlanta Falcons. Seattle, meanwhile, shipped off Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos and acquired Drew Lock as part of the deal.
Lock has not proven much during his three-year career. While he did amass a 4-1 record as the starter his rookie year in the 'Mile High City', he's gone 4-12 since. His primary competition right now in the Seahawks QB room is Jacob Eason.
Baker Mayfield has a play-style more similar to Wilson. Adding the Cleveland Browns QB would prove to be a smoother transition for Shane Waldron's Seattle offense than deploying either of the aforementioned traditional pocket passers.
The Seahawks missed the postseason for the first time since the 2017 season in 2021, so Mayfield would be walking into a situation where the expectations are a bit higher than they were in Cleveland.
Instead of being tasked with winning the first Super Bowl in franchise history, the new goal for Baker Mayfield in Seattle would be to win the second title in the past decade. Time will tell if that hypothetical becomes a reality.